Innovative Plant-Based Burger Enriched with Tenebrio molitor Meal: Characterization and Shelf-Life

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Sustainable Nutrition
• Entomophagy

Background:

• Growing environmental concerns drive demand for meat alternatives.
• Plant-based proteins often have lower biological value, necessitating novel sources.
• Insect protein offers a nutritious and sustainable alternative to traditional meat.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and assess the feasibility of insect and vegetable protein analog burgers.
• To create a gluten-free prototype for celiac consumers using soya.
• To evaluate the shelf-life and sensory properties of the novel burger analogs.

Main Methods:

• Utilized insect flour (Tenebrio molitor), seitan, and soya as primary protein sources.
• Incorporated oat and sodium alginate as binders for product formulation.
• Conducted physicochemical (pH, aw, moisture, color, acidity, peroxide index) and sensory (Quantitative Descriptive Analysis) analyses to evaluate shelf-life.

Main Results:

• Burger analog production was feasible, with significant differences in organoleptic properties, particularly texture.
• Multivariate modeling determined a seven-day shelf-life for all prototypes, limited by microbial growth.
• Spoilage modeling revealed bacterial growth significantly impacted burger pastiness and hardness.

Conclusions:

• Insect and vegetable protein analog burgers are a viable meat alternative.
• Shelf-life is constrained by microbial spoilage, affecting texture and quality.
• Further research can optimize formulations to extend shelf-life and enhance sensory attributes.