Quality characteristics of muffins added with fresh ginseng and different amounts of Gryllus bimaculatus powder

Edible insects, such as the two-spotted cricket (Gryllus bimaculatus, GB), have high nutritional value but are not widely consumed because of their appearance and smell. Consequently, the development of foods containing these insects in less recognizable forms, e.g., flour-like powders, has drawn considerable attention. Herein, we investigated the quality characteristics of muffins prepared from wheat flower supplemented with fresh ginseng (5%) and GB (0, 10, 20, and 40%) powders. GB loading was negatively correlated with muffin volume, height, moisture content, and textural properties (hardness, springiness, cohesiveness, and chewiness) and positively correlated with crude protein content and antioxidant properties. Significant (p<0.05) color differences were observed between samples with different GB loadings. The contents of hexanal and nonanal, which are the major volatiles responsible for off-flavor, increased with increasing GB loading, and the number of volatiles maximized at 40% GB. Sensory preference decreased in the order of 0% GB>10% GB≈20% GB>40% GB. Based on these results, a GB loading of 20% offered the best trade-off between attractiveness and nutritional value. Thus, this study promotes the widespread use of GB in the food industry and the development of various edible-insect-based food products.