PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF WHOLE AND DEFATTED FLOUR FROM GIANT MEALWORM LARVAE (ZOPHOBAS MORIO): A PROMISING INGREDIENT FOR FOOD APPLICATIONS

Edible insects have recently been suggested as a protein alternative to meet the growing global demand for animal protein due to their nutritional properties and the lower environmental impacts of their production. Incorporating insects in flour into food products can be an effective strategy for greater consumer acceptance. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the physicochemical and technological properties of whole (WFZM) and defatted (DFZM) flour from giant mealworm larvae (Zophobas morio). The dehydrated mealworm larvae were ground in a hammer mill, and the granulometry flour was standardized on 20-mesh sieves. The flour obtained was defatted in 99.8% ethyl alcohol (1:5 w/v), under stirring and heating (45-65oC) in a water bath under constant stirring for 1 hour each extraction procedure (repeated three times). Analysis of centesimal composition, color, water, and oil holding capacity, as well as pH determination of whole and defatted samples of insect flours, was performed. Moisture did not differ significantly (P>0.05) between samples. Higher protein content and lower lipid content were found in DFZM (43.14% and 7.26%, respectively), which differed (P<0.05) from WFZM, with 31.09% protein and 20.73% lipid. Variations in the centesimal composition of the flours can be attributed to the larvae's diet, rearing system, their development stage at the time of slaughter, and technological processes to which the flours may be subjected, as in the case of this study. The defatting process provided technological benefits to DFZM flour, improving its water and oil retention capacity and providing a lighter appearance, which is desirable in product reformulation processes. Furthermore, DFZM showed a lower red hue (P<0.05) than WFZM. DFZM flour showed significantly lower pH values than WFZM, possibly due to removing fatty acids in the degreasing process. This research indicates that giant mealworm meals can be a suitable source of alternative proteins in preparing more sustainable and nutritious food products due to their high nutritional value and appropriate technological properties.