Amino acid composition and chemical properties of protein noodles incorporated with cricket (Gryllus bimaculatus De Geer) powder

Crickets ( Gryllus bimaculatus De Geer) are considered a primary meat -alternative protein source. The insects comprise of 58 - 63% high -quality protein rich in essential amino acids. Nowadays, noodles are regularly consumed. Cricket powder -based protein noodles (PNCP) could be a choice for individuals with gluten allergies. In the present work, PNCP 0%, PNCP 15%, and PNCP 30% were assessed. PNCP 30% yielded the optimal nutritional quality in terms of moisture, ash, crude protein, crude fat, and crude fibre contents. It also contained the highest levels of 18 amino acids. Results also revealed that the noodles incorporated with cricket powder had double aspartic acid content, and increased proline content (3 - 7%) compared to control samples. Statistical analysis demonstrated a direct correlation between increased nutritional quality and the cricket powder amount added. Nevertheless, increasing cricket powder amount affected the colour of the resultant noodles. PNCP 30% yielded the darkest hue amongst the samples with an L* value of 38.21 +/- 1.93%. Conversely, PNCP 0% and 15% samples yielded 56.18 +/- 0.75 and 45.06 +/- 1.66% L* values, respectively. Texture profile analysis also revealed the effects on the tensile strength values of enhancing the cricket powder content. Panellists scored the PNCP samples on a 9 -point hedonic scale in a five -dimensional sensory evaluation. PNCP 15% recorded the ideal combination of palatability, appearance, and characteristics. Overall, the present work demonstrated that whilst utilising cricket powder as the alternative protein source in noodles is feasible, an accompanying sensory evaluation is critical to ensure that its incorporation does not compromise consumer acceptance of the final product.