Sustainable Meat Alternatives: Incorporation of Tenebrio molitor and Alphitobius diaperinus Powders into Pork-Based Hybrid Hams

Abstract

The increasing demand for sustainable meat alternatives has driven research into edible insects as a protein source. This study developed and characterized hybrid hams using pork meat with 10% of Tenebrio molitor, 10% of Alphitobius diaperinus, or 5% of A. diaperinus plus 5% of T. molitor powders. The hybrid hams were analyzed for color, texture, nutritional composition, amino acid profile, antioxidant activity, and consumer acceptance. Results indicated that adding insect powder led to a darker color in hybrid hams. The protein content increased, reaching 49% in the 10% T. molitor and 46% in the 10% A. diaperinus formulations, compared to 35% in the control (without insect powder). Amino acid analysis of the 10% A. diaperinus formulation revealed higher concentrations of essential amino acids compared to the control, with threonine increasing by 185%, valine by 24% and histidine by 27%. Also, the inclusion of insect powders enhanced the mineral profile, mainly sodium, potassium, phosphorus, and sulfur. The total polyphenol content nearly doubled in the 10% A. diaperinus and mixed formulations. Additionally, sensory evaluation revealed that these formulations were well-accepted. These findings support the potential of edible insects as a sustainable and nutritious protein source for innovative food products.

Keywords: consumer acceptance; edible insects; meat substitutes; nutritional composition.

Figure 1

Diagram of the preparation process of the hybrid hams.

Figure 2

Images from left to right: Control, 10T, 10A, and 10TA hybrid hams.

Figure 3

Texture Profile Analysis of Firmness (a), Adhesiveness (b) and Cohesiveness (c) for hybrid hams: Control, 10T, 10A, and 10TA. Different letters indicate significantly different results (p < 0.05) according to the Tukey test.

Figure 4

Mechanical spectra of hybrid hams: Control, 10T, 10A, and 10TA. G′ (full symbol) corresponds to the storage moduli and G″ (open symbol) corresponds to the loss moduli.

Figure 5

Sensory scores (a) and purchase intention (b) of hybrid hams: Control, 10T, 10A, and 10TA. Different letters indicate significantly different results (p < 0.05) according to the Tukey test.