Attitudes and purchase intentions of polish university students towards food made from insects-A modelling approach.

The marketing of insect-derived protein has led to the development of respective legal regulations on such insects-based foods in the European Union. Despite the interest in the area of insect-based food, European researchers have paid relatively little attention to consumer attitudes and behaviors towards such products or the factors that may affect them. Attempts undertaken so far in this respect are insufficient; therefore, there is a need to continue and expand research in this field. The present study attempts to verify the following research hypotheses: H1. Attitudes towards food containing insects are related to the attributes/characteristics of these products, care for health and the natural environment, and attitudes towards novelty (neophilic/neophobic); H2. Intentions to purchase food containing insects can be predicted based on attitudes towards food from insects, product attributes, and attitudes towards environmental health and novelties. An empirical study was conducted among university students (N = 1063) by an indirect interview method using a specially designed questionnaire, via an online platform (Computer-Assisted Web Interview, CAWI) in November 2023. The questionnaire was validated by assessing the construction validity and estimating the reliability of the scales used. The study results demonstrated that the attributes of insect-based food products can influence the positive attitudes towards them and behavioral intentions to consume them, and that the strength of the impact of health quality traits is far greater than that of the organoleptic or functional traits. A negative, statistically significant value of the correlation coefficient between neophobic attitude and intention to purchase this type of food was observed. Thus, respondents without food neophobia were characterized by a positive attitude towards the purchase of foods containing edible insects in their composition.

The Use of Waste Products from the Food Industry to Obtain High Value-Added Products.

Globalization and population expansion are driving the evolution of the food industry, offering an expanded array of food choices to cater to increasingly discerning consumers [...].

The Acceptance of Cream Soups with the Addition of Edible Insects (Mealworm, T. molitor; House Cricket, A. domesticus; Buffalo Worm, A. diaperinus; Grasshopper, R. differens) among Young People and Seniors in Poland.

Research on the acceptance of consuming insects in one's diet shows the increasing importance of this issue in the context of a sustainable food chain and ecology. Insects represent a promising food source due to their high nutritional value, efficiency in production, and minimal environmental impact, as well as the growing awareness of ecological issues. Despite these benefits, cultural and psychological barriers hinder the acceptance of consuming insects in Western countries. In this study, an assessment was made of the acceptance level of cream-type soups made from tomatoes and white vegetables with the addition of 20% flour from four insect species: mealworm (T. molitor); house cricket (A. domesticus); buffalo worm (A. diaperinus); and grasshopper (R. differens), compared to a control sample. One hundred and four subjects (55 seniors and 49 young adults) participated in this study. The acceptance level of various soups with insect flour was evaluated, considering different sensory parameters such as appearance, smell, taste, and texture. The research showed that older people have a lower acceptance for dishes containing insects compared to young adults, but the differences in the responses given were not statistically significant (p = 0.05), rejecting the assumption that insect-based products should be mainly targeted at young people. Of all the proposed test samples, the mealworm (T. molitor) was the most acceptable insect species in the tests in both taste versions for both age groups. The average score was 6.63 points on a 10-point scale. The products with the addition of grasshopper (R. differens) were rated the lowest. The acceptance level ranged between 4.23 and 4.38 points. A multiple regression analysis showed that taste and texture had the strongest influence on the overall acceptance of these dishes, and the results obtained were highly correlated with the general opinion of the testers. The increasing acceptance level and growing interest in this type of food can be a positive step towards sustainable and efficient food production.

Chemical Composition, Antioxidant Properties and Sensory Aspects of Sponge Cakes Supplemented with Edible Insect Flours.

The chemical composition, antioxidant properties, and sensory aspects of sponge cakes with the addition of flours from edible insects (buffalo worm, cricket, and mealworm) were evaluated. The addition of edible-insect flours increased the protein, fat, and dietary fiber content in all cases. The utilization of edible insects demonstrated a notable augmentation in the phenolic compounds (especially protocatechuic acid and protocatechuic aldehyde, and syringic, ferulic, and sinapic acids). This resulted in an increase in the antioxidant activity measured against the ABTS radical cation, the DPPH radical, and ferric ions. The antioxidant potential, assessed by four different methods, unequivocally confirmed that the aforementioned polyphenolic compounds found in edible insects provide significant radical-scavenging and antioxidant activity in sponge cakes containing them. The polyunsaturated fatty acid contents were significantly lower in cakes with insect flour compared to the standard wheat cakes. Products and raw materials exhibited high values of the n - 6/n - 3 ratio, which may be associated with negative health effects, with a high oleic acid content. The amino acid score (AAS) for the essential amino acids exceeded 100% for all obtained products. The sponge cakes were accepted by consumers and the taste was the most important predictor for overall acceptability, whereas the structure and appearance had less impact.

The Influence of Microwave-Assisted Extraction on the Phenolic Compound Profile and Biological Activities of Extracts from Selected Scutellaria Species.

The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) conditions (microwave power, extraction time, and ethanol concentration) on the efficiency of the extraction of phenolic compounds from selected plant species belonging to the genus Scutellaria (i.e., Scutellaria baicalensis and Scutellaria lateriflora). The extracts from selected Scutellaria species were examined to establish the total phenolic content and the in vitro antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. The antioxidant capacity was determined by the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and 2,2,1-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging capacity methods. The anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated through the lipoxygenase (LOX) inhibitory assay. The phenolic profile of the extracts was characterized using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detection and high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (UHPLC-DAD/ESI-HRMS/MS). Depending on the type of solvent and the extraction conditions used, the extracts obtained from selected Scutellaria species showed different total and individual phenolic content, as well as different antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The results showed that all Scutellaria extracts had high total phenolic content and exhibited strong ferric ion reducing power and free radical scavenging capacity and a significant ability to inhibit the LOX activity. In general, the 70% ethanol extracts contained more phenolic compounds, mainly flavones, flavanones, and their derivatives, and showed greater in vitro biological activity than other extracts. The highest levels of phenolic compounds and the strongest antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential were found in extracts from the roots of S. baicalensis. Optimal extraction conditions for all the plant materials tested were determined as the microwave power of 63 W, extraction time of 10 min, and 70% ethanol as the solvent.

Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Composition of Nut Bars with Addition of Various Edible Insect Flours.

Edible insects represent a new functional source of nutrients that can contribute to solving nutritional deficiency problems. The antioxidant potential and bioactive compounds of nut bars with the addition of three edible insects were evaluated. Acheta domesticus L., Alphitobius diaperinus P. and Tenebrio molitor L. flours were used. A 30% share of insect flour in the bars resulted in significantly greater antioxidant activity (TPC increased from 190.19 for standard bars to 309.45 mg catechin/100 g for bars with 30% addition of cricket flour). Insect flour contributed significantly to an increase in 2,5-dihydrobenzoic acid (from 0.12 for bars with a 15% share of buffalo worm flour to 0.44 mg/100 g in the case of bars with a 30% share of cricket flour) and chlorogenic acid in all bars (from 0.58 for bars with a 15% share of cricket flour to 3.28 mg/100 g for bars with a 30% addition of buffalo worm flour), compared to the standard. The highest content of tocopherols was found in bars with cricket flour, compared to standard bars (43.57 and 24.06 mg/100 g of fat, respectively). The dominant sterol in bars enriched with insect powder was cholesterol. The highest amount of it was found in cricket bars, and the lowest in mealworm bars (64.16 and 21.62 mg/100 g of fat, respectively). The enrichment of nut bars with insect flours raises the levels of valuable phytosterols in the final product. The addition of edible insect flours reduced the perception of most sensory attributes of the bars, compared to the standard bar.

Apple Pomace as an Ingredient Enriching Wheat Pasta with Health-Promoting Compounds.

The global overproduction of apples is associated with large amounts of post-production waste, for which new forms of utilization should be sought. Therefore, we aimed to enrich wheat pasta with apple pomace in various percentages (10, 20, 30 and 50%). The content of total polyphenols, individual polyphenols (using UPLC-PDA-MS/MS methods) and dietary fibre, chemical composition and physical properties of the resulting pasta were determined. The addition of apple pomace to pasta resulted in increased levels of pro-health compounds: total polyphenols, phenolic acids, quercetin derivatives, flavon-3-ols and dihydrochalcones as well as dietary fibre. Decreases in hardness and maximum cutting energy were also observed in pasta supplemented with apple pomace compared to control pasta. Water absorption capacity was not influenced by the addition of apple pomace, with the exception of pasta made with 50% apple pomace.

Chemical Composition, Nutritional Value, and Acceptance of Nut Bars with the Addition of Edible Insect Powder.

Six types of nut-based bars with the addition of edible insect flour were obtained. Flours made from three different insects (Tenebrio molitor L., Acheta domesticus L., Alphitobius diaperinus P.) were used at two different additive levels (15% and 30%) in relation to the weight of the nuts. The addition of insect flour significantly increased protein content and the insoluble fraction of dietary fiber. The largest amount of these compounds was found in bars with 30% cricket flour, 15.51 g/100 g and 6.04 g/100 g, respectively, in comparison to standard bars, 10.78 g/100 g and 3.14 g/100 g, respectively. The greatest consumer acceptance was found in relation to bars with buffalo worm flour. The overall acceptance of these bars was 6.26-6.28 points compared to 6.48 for standard bars. Bars and raw materials were characterized by the high biological value of the protein. Cis linoleic acid dominated among unsaturated fatty acids. The percentage of this compound was in the range of 69.56%, for bars with a 30% addition of buffalo worm flour, to 73.88%, for bars with 15% cricket flour. Instrumental analysis of taste and smell compounds showed the presence of compounds such as 3-methylbutanoic acid, hexanal, and 2,3-pentanedione.

Nutritional properties and amino acid profile of buckwheat bread.

The effect of replacement of wheat flour with buckwheat flour at levels of 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50% on nutritional, texture, and physicochemical characteristics of bread was studied. Among others, parameters such as amino acid profile, antioxidant properties, and inositol phosphate content were determined. Amino acid score was calculated in order to evaluate the biological value of the bread protein. The breads with buckwheat flour were characterized by significantly lower whiteness of the crumb, compared to wheat bread. A positive effect of 10, 20, and 30% buckwheat flour content on the reduction of the crumb hardness, gumminess, chewiness was observed in comparison to other bread samples. A positive effect of buckwheat flour in the amount of 10-30% on the texture parameters and slowing down the process of bread staling was observed. The antioxidant properties and inositol phosphates increased with the share of buckwheat flour in the formula. A significant increase in protein was observed in bread from 20% share of buckwheat flour. The limiting amino acid of the protein of the tested flours and breads was lysine. For wheat bread, the amino acid score was 44.71% and for those with buckwheat flour it ranged from 45.67 to 75.38%.

Consumer Attitudes and Acceptability of Wheat Pancakes with the Addition of Edible Insects: Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor), Buffalo Worm (Alphitobius diaperinus), and Cricket (Acheta domesticus).

The aim of this study was to determine the degree of acceptability of wheat pancakes with the addition of 10%, 20%, and 30% meal from three edible insect species (Alphitobius diaperinus, Tenebrio molitor, Acheta domesticus, respectively). Both consumer attitudes and the acceptability of the test samples were analysed. The study results show that the amount of additive had a statistically significant effect on all of the organoleptic evaluation's distinguishing features, while the type of additive did not have such a significant effect on the level of consumer acceptability. Both the type and amount of the additive only had a statistically significant effect on the structure of the pancakes. Of all the variants, the sample with the addition of 30% crickets (Pref-2.51) was given the lowest score. An increase in the insect meal content of the products resulted in decreased scores for all the parameters under assessment. The key element that influenced the overall preference was the flavour. Even though the respondents declared positive attitudes towards the idea of consuming pancakes with the addition of insects and entomophagy in general, they were still reluctant to include insects in their diets.

Free amino acids profile of Polish and Slovak honeys based on LC-MS/MS method without the prior derivatisation.

LC-MS/MS method was applied for determination of free amino acids in honey without derivatisation steps. Twenty free amino acids including aspartic acid, asparagine, glutamic acid, glutamine, alanine, arginine, glycine, leucine, histidine, hydroxyproline, isoleucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, valine and ornithine were analyzed in thirty honey samples from Poland and Slovakia. The analysis covered: acacia, lime, rape, multifloral and forest types of honey. Applied method was characterized to had good sensitivity with limit of detection ranged from 3.0 ng/cm3 for valine to 13.0 ng/cm3 for hydroxyproline. Average content of proline (main amino acid component in honey) ranged from 151.46 µg/g (rape honey from Slovakia) to 389.66 µg/g for forest honey (honeydew honey) from Poland. In analyzed honeys large quantities of glutamine, glutamic acid, lysine, phenylalanine, asparagine, alanine, and valine were also found.

Changes of antioxidant activity and formation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural in honey during thermal and microwave processing.

The paper presents the results of microwave irradiation and conventional heating of honey. These two kinds of thermal treatment result in the formation of 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural (HMF), and changes in the antioxidant potential of honeys, which were studied as well. Four types of honey (honeydew, lime, acacia, buckwheat) were analyzed. Honey samples were subjected to conventional heating in a water bath (WB) at 90°C up to 60min or to the action of a microwave field (MW) with constant power of 1.26W/g of the sample up to 6min. Changes in the antioxidant capacity of honeys were measured as a percentage of free radical (ABTS(+)and DPPH) scavenging ability. Changes in the total polyphenols content (TPC) (equivalents of gallic acid mg/100g of honey) were also determined. Formation of HMF in honey treated with a microwave field was faster in comparison with the conventional process. Changes in the antioxidant properties of honey subjected to thermal or microwave processing might have been botanical origin dependent.

Applicability of physico-chemical parameters of honey for identification of the botanical origin.

BACKGROUND: Efforts are being made to apply physicochemical parameters analysis in the identification of varietal honeys. With many variables describing a given population, it is feasible to differentiate between basing on principal component analysis (PCA). The aim of this study was to investigate selected physicochemical quality characteristics of nectar honey, with particular emphasis paid to carbohydrate composition, and to determine its applicability in identifying the variety of floral honey. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The experimental materials were samples of commercial honey available at retail in Krakow in 2005-2007 period. The following analyses were performed: water content by the refractometric method, sugars content according to Luff-Schoorl, content of sugars using HPLC, electrical conductivity, specific rotation, and acidity of honey. RESULTS: Application of HPLC allowed the precise qualitative identification of sugars, which was impossible to be determined by Luff-Schoorl method. The obtained results were analysed using principal component analysis (PCA). CONCLUSIONS: Based on the obtained results and performing the statistical analysis, it was found that the relationship between specific rotation and the total acidity can be used to distinguish buckwheat honeys from other analysed varieties. Moreover, it was demonstrated that the relationship between the specific rotation and maltose content can be used to distinguish between acacia honeys vs. buckwheat and lime honeys.

Sauces and dressings: a review of properties and applications.

This comprehensive review of sauces and salad dressings covers the literature over the last decade with respect to physical and chemical properties and the applications of these products. As such, texturizing and structural systems (especially hydrocolloids) are described in detail and the application of polysaccharide thickeners as texture providers is described. Microbiological aspects of sauces are covered with relevant sections discussing the factors affecting microbiological activity and microbial spoilage and/or enhancement of a range of sauces. In addition, the use of carbohydrates and proteins as emulsifiers in many sauces is described. Quality aspects are given prominence in this review with sections being devoted to rheological and textural properties, chromatographic approaches and sensory aspects. Healthy sauces such as those having low sodium, reduced fat and cholesterol or containing inulin or microcrystalline cellulose are reviewed. Finally, for various sections the trends of the main findings as well as suggestions for future research are presented.