Cricket powder (Acheta domesticus) as a lean pork meat replacer in cooked sausages

The incorporation of insects in everyday foods is a developing area. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the optimal percent replacement (5.0, 7.5 or 10.0%) of lean pork meat with cricket power (CP) in cooked sausages. For this purpose, the quality and safety were evaluated through the following parameters: pH, moisture, water activity, TBA value, colour (L*, a*, b*), texture and sensory profile, microbiological status and microstructure during seven-day cold storage. The pH of cooked sausages with CP increased while the moisture decreased. At the end of cold storage TBA values of cooked sausages with CP were lower compared to the control. A dose dependent decrease in colour lightness (L*) and redness (a*) was observed after lean pork meat replacement in batters and cooked sausages. For both the texture profile analysis and sensory profile, the panel found an increase in the hardness and springiness of the cooked sausages with 7.5 and 10.0% CP. The microbiological status of the cooked sausages was not compromised by the addition of CP. Disruptions in the microstructure of both batters and cooked sausages were observed. Dose-depend size increase of fat globules and air bubbles in the batters with 7.5 and 10.0% replacement of lean pork meat was observed leading to their destabilization. Overall, the 5.0% replacement of lean pork meat with CP affects in most positive way all evaluated parameters of the cooked sausages. Higher percent replacement could be possible after evaluation of emulsion stability and gel formation of the insect-based hybrid meat products.