The Assessment of the Possibility of Using Yellow Mealworm Powder in Chicken and Pork Pâté Production

Abstract

Meat delicatessen products, including pâtés, are important for consumers’ daily diets. However, due to the complex recipe composition, pâtés can also contain allergens such as gluten. Simultaneously, powdered edible insects are increasingly used to reformulate food products. Therefore, the paper aimed to investigate the feasibility of replacing wheat flour (total content: 9% w/w) with yellow mealworm powder (3:0, 2:1, 1:2, and 0:3) in chicken and pork pâtés and determine its effect on their quality properties. The rheological properties of pâté batter, as well as texture, color parameters, and microbiological and sensory characteristics of pâtés, were assessed. All prepared pâté batters were identified as weak gels. Furthermore, all the examined pâtés met the microbiological quality requirements. Adding yellow mealworm powder to the formulation weakened the pâté structure, resulting in significantly lower shear force and increased spreadability. In addition, it led to a darker and more gray color of the pâtés. It may be seen as indicating no preservatives or as resembling a typical pork pâté. It has been demonstrated that the complete replacement of wheat flour with insect powder significantly reduced the sensory quality of chicken and pork pâtés.

1. Introduction

Pâtés, classified as delicatessen products, are part of traditional cuisine in many European countries and are popular among consumers. They are made from raw meat and fat materials, offal raw materials, and other food ingredients such as broth, eggs, flour, and spices. In production, meat and offal ingredients are cooked or fried, minced, blended, and finally formed into blocks of various sizes and weights [1,2]. These products are vacuumed or packed in a modified atmosphere and then marketed [1]. Pâtés are a popular choice among consumers due to their affordability and convenience. These products are usually eaten cold and are frequently used as bread spreads. Still, pâtés can also be served hot as a main dish [3,4].

Wheat flour, breadcrumbs, and wheat semolina are common ingredients in commercially available pâtés. These ingredients may contain gluten, triggering an allergic reaction and non-celiac sensitivity to gluten protein. The regular consumption of products with gluten protein has been linked to an increased risk of developing health complications and a worsening of celiac disease symptoms [5,6]. The most productive solution is the elimination of allergenic compounds from product recipes. Consequently, it is necessary to identify ingredients that can be utilized to attain a texture and structure analogous to that achieved through gluten-rich ingredients [5]. Conversely, there is a requirement to ascertain alternative ingredients that enhance the product’s nutritional value, significantly increasing the protein content.

Consumers have recently sought products with a higher nutritional value and diverse properties, prompting producers to improve or modify their products [2,7]. Several examples have been explored in pâté recipes for this purpose, such as the inclusion of ingredients like hemp seeds [7,8], linseed [8], lupine protein [9], pea protein [4,10], starch [3], fish meat or roe [2], and mushroom flour [11]. Those ingredients can enhance the nutritional properties of the final products, mainly by increasing the protein content and the levels of unsaturated fatty acids or antioxidant compounds. It can also affect the texture and color of the product in various ways. In this regard, edible insects seem to be one of the most promising ingredients, demonstrating their value as a rich source of protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals [12,13].

Edible insects like the yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor L.) provide all essential amino acids, including the most common limiting ones, such as lysine, methionine, and isoleucine [14,15]. Furthermore, fat isolated from yellow mealworms consists mainly of unsaturated fatty acids like oleic and linoleic acids while also containing α-linolenic acid [16,17]. Additionally, minerals such as iron, calcium, zinc, magnesium, phosphorus, and B-group vitamins can be found [14,18]. Due to the increasing demand for sustainable protein sources and other essential nutrients, applying powdered edible insects in pâté recipes is a promising approach. As a result, pâtés with an addition of edible insect in the powder form can provide greater nutritional value compared to traditional meat pâtés. However, it should be noted that edible insects are also a source of crustacean and mollusk allergens [15,17]. Nevertheless, the overall pooled estimate for all age groups of self-reported lifetime prevalence in European regions reported between 2012 and 2021 is higher for wheat (1.6%) than for shellfish (0.4%). Also, the overall lifetime prevalence of self-reported physician-diagnosed wheat is higher (0.5%) compared to that of shellfish (0.01%) [19].

Incorporating insect powder into meat emulsions can significantly enhance their stability and reduce cooking loss in the final product [20,21]. However, the results regarding the effect of this reformulation on the textural properties of meat products are still inconclusive [21,22,23]. Nevertheless, utilizing insect powder to develop novel products has the potential to stimulate interest in discovering new flavors and innovative culinary approaches. The research available so far has indicated that pork pâtés with insect powder (2, 6, and 10%) were described to be more distinct in flavor and odor according to the consumer assessment and had a darker color (both on the surface and in the cross-section) compared to the pâté without this ingredient [24].

Ingredients such as insect powder, used to improve the nutritional value of pâtés, may change their physicochemical and microbiological characteristics. At the same time, gluten can be eliminated from the recipe, which benefits people with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. The extant research has focused on the impact of cricket powder addition on chemical composition, color, and consumer acceptance of pork pâtés. To the best of our knowledge, no studies have focused on trying to replace wheat flour with insect powder in pâté recipes. Therefore, the study aimed to determine the maximum quantity of yellow mealworm powder that could be incorporated into the pâté recipe. It also aimed to assess its influence on the rheological properties of the pâté batter as well as its impact on the texture, color, microbiological characteristics, and sensory attributes of pâtés made from chicken and pork.

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. Materials

The chicken thigh, pork jowl, poultry liver, and chicken eggs were purchased from a local market. The salt and spices (marjoram, herbal pepper, black pepper, nutmeg; Prymat sp. z o.o., Jastrzębie-Zdrój, Poland) were purchased from a local store. The yellow mealworm powder (Nimavert, Harelbeke, Belgium) was obtained directly from a Polish distributor.

2.2. Pâté Production

The detailed recipe composition of chicken and pork pâtés is provided in

Table 1. Recipe composition of chicken and pork pâté batters.

Ingredients (%)	Pâté Variant
	PC	P3%	P6%	P9%
	Basic raw materials
Chicken meat	45
Pork jowl	25
Poultry liver	15
Egg mass	6
Wheat flour 1	9	6	3	-
Insect powder 1	-	3	6	9
Broth *	30
	Supporting raw materials **
Raw onion	2.0
Salt	1.5
Marjoram	0.2
Herbal pepper	0.2
Black pepper	0.1
Nutmeg	0.05

¹ The ratio of wheat flour to insect powder is as follows: 3:0, 2:1, 1:2, and 0:3; * in relation to the entire load of basic raw materials; ** in relation to the entire load of a base batter.

, and the technological flow chart of their production is shown in Figure 1.

The chicken thigh and pork jowl were scalded separately in water until tender. After being cooled, chicken meat was separated from the bones, and then both (chicken meat and pork jowl) were ground in a laboratory mincer (Mesko-AGD, Skarżysko-Kamienna, Poland) using a mesh with a hole diameter of 4.5 mm (Figure 1). The poultry liver was fried with onion in rapeseed oil and, after cooling and draining excess oil in a sieve, also ground at the same mesh size. To obtain a uniform emulsion, the egg mass was prepared by mixing cracked eggs in a laboratory mixer (Kenwood Major type KM 800, Kenwood Ltd., Birmingham, England). The batters were prepared in a Stephan UM 5 universal heavy-duty bowl cutter with rapidly moving blades of 3000 rpm (Stephan Machinery GmbH, Hameln, Germany) by chopping all ingredients for 5 min. Afterward, the pâté batters were poured into aluminum molds with 19 × 8.5 × 5 cm dimensions, weighing 300 ± 5 g.

The heat treatment of the prepared pâté batters was performed using a Rational SCCWE61 convection-steam oven (Rational Self Cooking Center, Rational, Rolling Meadows, IL, USA) in two steps: firstly, scalding at a temperature of 90 °C and humidification of 100% until their internal temperature reached 55 °C (using the thermocouple supplied with the oven), and then baking at a temperature of 180 °C without humidification until their internal temperature reached 80 °C (total heat treatment time approx. 20 min).

After cooling, the chicken and pork pâtés were vacuum packed using multilayer film bags (PE/PA, 75 µm thick) and a Multivac C200 packaging machine (Multivac Sepp Haggenmüller GmbH & Co. KG, Wolfertschwenden, Germany). The packed pâtés were then stored under refrigeration conditions (temperature 4 ± 2 °C) and absence of light for 1 and 7 days.

2.3. Analyses of Pâté Batters

Rheology Measurement

Rheological measurements were performed on a Haake Mars 40 rheometer (Thermo Scientific Inc., Karlsruhe, Germany) with a parallel plate with a diameter of 350 mm (P35/Ti, with a gap size of 1 mm). The rheological behavior of the pâté batters was tested according to Scholliers et al. [23] with some modifications. To obtain the linear range for the dynamic analysis (LVR), a strain sweep was conducted at 20 °C. Based on LVR results, the frequency sweep test was carried out at a frequency in a range of 0.1–10 Hz at a temperature of 20 °C. The storage (G′) and loss modulus (G″) were measured. All measurements were carried out, at least in triplicate.

2.4. Analyses of Pâtés

2.4.1. Microbiology Evaluation

To assess the microbiological quality of the pâtés from each test group, 10 g in total was taken, transferred to sterile bags, and then homogenized with 90 mL of 0.85% sterile saline using a laboratory homogenizer (Stomacher 400 Circulator, UK) for 2 min. Subsequently, a decimal dilution series was prepared. Total viable count (TVC) was enumerated on plate count agar (PCA, BTL, Łódź, Poland) incubated at 30 °C for 48 h. Psychrotrophic bacteria were counted on plate count agar (PCA, BTL, Łódź, Poland) incubated at 4 °C for 10 days. Enterobacteriaceae was enumerated on Violet Red Bile Glucose Agar (BTL, Łódź, Poland) incubated at 37 °C for 24 h. The three parallel incubations were performed. After incubation, grown colonies were counted. The results were converted as log colony-forming units per gram of product (log CFU/g). The mean value was taken as the final result.

2.4.2. Texture Measurement

The pâté slices were 2 cm thick to measure the shear force, and a Zwick 1120 universal testing machine (Zwick GmbH & Co., Ulm, Germany) was used. The maximum force required to cut was measured using a Warner–Bratzler adapter moving at a 50 mm/min speed. The measurement was repeated twice on two slices from three pâtés, taking the mean value as the final result.

The spreadability (N·s) of the pâtés was measured using a TA.XT PLUS Texture Analyzer (Stable Micro Mixtures, Surrey, UK), equipped with a TTC Spreadability Rig. The test speed during the measurement was 3.0 mm/s. The measurement was repeated two times for three pâtés, taking the mean value as the final result.

2.4.3. Color Measurement

The color of the pâtés was determined in the CIE L*a*b* color space using a Minolta CR-400 colorimeter (Konica Minolta, Osaka, Japan) with the following settings: a light source D65, observer 2°, an aperture size of 8 mm. The measurement was repeated three times at the surface of the freshly cut two slices taken randomly from three pâtés, taking the mean value as the final result. To determine the color differences between the pâtés with the addition of insect powder and the control pâté, the total color difference (ΔE) was calculated according to the following equation:

$$\Delta E=\sqrt{{(\Delta L^{*})}^2+{(\Delta a^{*})}^2+{(\Delta b^{*})}^2}$$

(1)

where L* is the lightness, a* is the chromatic coordinate of green/red color, b* is the chromatic coordinate of blue/yellow color, and ΔL*, Δa*, and Δb* are the differences between the color of the control pâté (one day after manufacture) and the other pâté variants.

2.4.4. Sensory Evaluation

To determine the sensory quality of the pâtés, an analytical sensory method–QDP (Quantitative Descriptive Profile) was performed based on the ISO 13299:2016 standard [25]. The method assumed the recognition that odor, flavor, and texture are not individual quality features but are considered a complex set of particular attributes. A total of 20 defined sensory attributes were measured to quantify the quality of the tested samples: 7 odor attributes (meaty, offal, fatty, sharp, spicy, other, and overall intensity), 3 texture attributes (softness, smoothness, moisture, spreadability), and 8 attributes of flavor (meaty, offal, fat perception, salty, spicy burning, bitter, other). The studied samples’ overall sensory quality (low–very high) was assessed based on the above quality attributes. An unstructured, linear scale of 100 mm converted to numerical values (0–10 conventional units c.u.) was used as a tool. The anchor marks of the tested attributes ranged from very low to very high intensity. The mean result was based on 20 individual results.

The trained panel consisted of 10 members (9 women and 1 man, aged 29–60), who were tested before being selected, according to the ISO 8586:2012 standard [26]. The panelists had 4 to 20 years of theoretical and practical experience with sensory procedures and sensory evaluation of different food products with various methods (including profiling). The assessors’ ability to differentiate product samples by multiple volatile and non-volatile stimuli concentrations was checked. The evaluation was conducted on a specially prepared stand during daylight illumination. Between assessments, the assessors received water to neutralize the flavor of the pâté samples. Two sessions per day of each set of the samples (one set × two samples × 10 assessors × 2 sessions) were performed.

All sensory assessments were performed in a sensory laboratory that met the general requirements of the ISO 8589:2007 standard [27] for sensory-testing conditions. It was equipped with individual testing booths and a computerized system for data acquisition (ANALSENS).

The sensory study was conducted as described by the Helsinki Declaration (World Medical Association 2013) and with the regulation and approval of the Ethical Commission No 15/2021.

2.5. Statistical Analysis

A one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s HSD test were used to assess the influence of yellow mealworm powder, while a t-test was used to determine the influence of storage time on chosen properties of chicken and pork pâtés. A two-way ANOVA and Fisher’s LSD test were used to find the differences between the pâtés in the intensity of the assessed attributes. Statistical analysis was performed with Statistica 13.3 (TIBCO Software, Palo Alto, CA, USA) software at α = 0.05.

3. Results and Discussion

3.1. Rheological Properties of Pâté Batters

The course of G′ and G″ throughout the frequency sweep is shown in Figure 2 for all pâté batters. The analysis of G′ > G″ indicated elastic characteristics for all samples because the G′ reflects the solid-like behavior of a viscoelastic material, while the G″ reflects liquid-like behavior. As G′ and G″ also showed a slight frequency dependence in the studied frequency range (0.1–10 Hz), and the structures formed in the pâté batters can be characterized as weak gels, exhibiting solid-like behavior. Comparable frequency dependency of G′ and G″ were extensively reported for various types of insect and meat batters [28,29]. Replacing wheat flour with yellow mealworm powder (3–9%) in the pâté batters increased G′ and G′. Similar results were observed for meat batters with edible silkworm pupae (Bombyx mori) [30]. Edible insect powders are characterized by high water and oil holding capacity and high emulsion activity [31], which could improve the rheological characteristics of the pâté batters. Adding yellow mealworm powder increased water absorption following substitution due to many hydroxyl groups forming hydrogen bonds with water [31], associated with more elastic interactions and increased solid-like behavior [32].

3.2. Microbiological Evaluation of Pâtés

The conducted microbiological studies included the determination of the total aerobic mesophilic bacteria, psychotropic bacteria, and populations of the family Enterobacteriaceae for the pâtés stored under refrigeration conditions (at a temperature of 4 ± 2 °C) and absence of light for 1 and 7 days. The results showed no Enterobacteriaceae microbiota in any pâté, regardless of the amount of yellow mealworm powder added or the storage time (

Table 2. Microbiological quality of the pâtés with different yellow mealworm powder additions.

Time (Day)	Pâté Variant
	PC	P3%	P6%	P9%
	Total Aerobic Mesophilic Bacteria (log CFU/g)
1	2.05 ax 1 ± 0.39	3.24 bx ± 0.23	3.32 bx ± 0.25	3.66 bx ± 0.08
7	2.30 ax ± 0.41	3.47 bx ± 0.04	3.65 bx ± 0.04	3.67 bx ± 0.13
	Enterobacteriaceae (log CFU/g)
1	nd	nd	nd	nd
7	nd	nd	nd	nd
	Psychrotrophic Bacteria (log CFU/g)
1	1.56 ax ± 0.31	2.13 abx ± 0.17	2.41 bx ± 0.38	2.46 bx ± 0.35
7	2.06 ax ± 0.22	2.20 ax ± 0.14	2.28 ax ± 0.15	2.42 ax ± 0.11

nd—not detectable. ¹ Different letters within rows (a–b; Tukey’s HSD, p < 0.05) and columns (x; t-test, p < 0.05) indicate the statistical difference.

).

Replacing wheat flour with the addition of insect powder (3–9%) in the pâtés resulted in an increase in microflora. The total number of aerobic mesophilic and psychotropic bacteria was the lowest in the control pâté, while the pâtés with insect powder exhibited a higher microbial load. The highest number of microorganisms tested was detected in the pâté with the highest amount of insect powder (P9%). Thus, insect powder should also be considered as a source of microbial contamination in the recipe of food products, including meat products. For example, for raw beef patties, in which beef was replaced with cricket powder, the total number of aerobic mesophilic bacteria was higher (6.23–6.62 log CFU/g) than for the control product (4.59 log CFU/g) [33]. Similarly, cooked sausages with cricket powder as a lean pork meat replacer exhibited a higher total number of aerobic mesophilic bacteria (3.30–3.78 log CFU/g) than control cooked sausage (3.0 log CFU/g) [34].

Acceptable contamination with saprophytic microorganisms of the order of 10⁶ CFU/g is assumed [35], above which the symptoms of product spoilage may be evident. In the pâtés tested, the bacteria did not reach this critical level after 7 days of storage (recommended retail shelf life of pâtés and selected based on the literature [36,37]). It is therefore considered reasonable to undertake further trials regarding the longer storage of pâtés under the proposed conditions.

3.3. Texture Parameters of Pâtés

Texture is one of the most critical factors influencing meat product preference and acceptance [38]. The shear force of the pâtés with yellow mealworm powder after 1 day of storage was significantly lower than the control variant (

Table 3. Changes in texture parameters of pâtés with different yellow mealworm powder additions.

Time (Day)	Pâté Variant
	PC	P3%	P6%	P9%
	Shear Force (N)
1	2.74 cx 1 ± 0.13	2.06 bx ± 0.06	1.82 ax ± 0.34	1.64 ax ± 0.14
7	2.66 abx ± 0.20	2.93 by ± 0.58	2.45 ay ± 0.22	2.77 aby ± 0.21
	Spreadability (N∙s)
1	42.66 cx ± 2.01	31.41 bx ± 1.44	23.32 ax ± 2.60	22.67 ax ± 0.92
7	45.25 ax ± 4.97	42.51 ay ± 6.13	35.93 ay ± 6.53	37.34 ay ± 4.95

¹ Different letters within rows (a–c; Tukey’s HSD, p < 0.05) and columns (x–y; t-test, p < 0.05) indicate the statistical difference.

). These changes may be related to incorporating additional fat with insect powder (18.5 g/100 g, as declared by the manufacturer) and weakening the structure of the pâtés. This was observed by adding walnut paste to liver sausages [39]. On the contrary, adding ground hemp seeds, also rich in fat, to the poultry pâtés increased the measured shear force [7]. Furthermore, robust and stiffer chitin and cuticular components may interfere with and decrease the structure and strength of the protein gel network generated by myofibrillar proteins [22], providing lower hardness of the pâtés.

After one week of storage, a higher value of shear force was observed for pâtés with 3 and 9% added insect powder compared to the control product. The effect of storage time on the shear force values was also observed. Significantly higher values were found for all pâtés with insect powder added. These changes could be attributed to interactions between ingredients such as proteins, polysaccharides, and water molecules due to the protein’s possible progressive oxidation due to higher unsaturated fatty acid content in the tested pâtés. This resulted in a change in the functionality of the insect protein and the formation of cross-links between proteins [22,40]. On the other hand, the higher solid content may have promoted water binding, especially during cooling and refrigerated storage, resulting in higher hardness [22,23]. However, this requires further research, such as using NMR, to confirm.

The spreadability of pâtés is influenced by factors such as fat content, fatty acid composition, protein reformulation, and microstructure [4,41]. Changing the recipe of such a product also influences its spreadability [2]. In the case of the tested pâtés, the addition of yellow mealworm powder resulted in a reduction in the work required to spread the pâté measured 1 day after production (Table 3). It was also found that this reduction depended on the addition of insects. However, the most significant change in spreadability was observed at the 3% and 6% addition levels. This may indicate that the addition at these levels had the most significant effect on the consistency and spreadability of the pâté. Yellow mealworm powder is rich in fat and protein [42] and chitosan [43]. Increasing the fat content increases the spreadability of the pâté [41,44]. At the same time, the addition of protein or polysaccharide ingredients may improve the pâté’s ability to bind water and fat, which also reduces the work required to spread the pâté sample [45,46].

Analyses carried out after the storage test revealed significant changes in the spreadability of the pâtés obtained with the addition of yellow mealworm powder. Regardless of the amount of additive used, it was found that the value of the tested parameter increased, reaching the level of the control variant. This may indicate, as in the case of the shear force parameter, that physical forces were created during storage, strengthening the structure of the tested pâtés.

3.4. Color Parameters of Pâtés

The initial factors that consumers consider when selecting a product are its appearance and color [2]. The incorporation of yellow mealworm powder resulted in a notable alteration in the color characteristics of the pâtés, resulting in a more gray and darker color (Figure 3). Specifically, the L* parameter significantly decreased, indicating a darker color (

Table 4. Changes in color parameters of pâtés with different yellow mealworm powder additions.

Time (Day)	Pâté Variant
	PC	P3%	P6%	P9%
	L* (–)
1	55.12 dx 1 ± 0.73	54.13 cx ± 0.74	52.41 bx ± 0.45	50.46 ax ± 0.75
7	55.68 cx ± 0.80	55.25 cy ± 0.92	54.33 by ± 0.77	53.04 ay ± 0.95
	a* (–)
1	5.21 bx ± 0.21	4.56 ax ± 0.29	4.61 ay ± 0.12	4.44 ay ± 0.18
7	5.15 cx ± 0.36	4.61 bx ± 0.38	4.45 bx ± 0.19	4.01 ax ± 0.24
	b* (–)
1	13.42 ax ± 0.49	13.93 by ± 0.54	14.44 cy ± 0.37	13.89 aby ± 0.55
7	13.48 bx ± 0.39	12.45 ax ± 0.63	12.51 ax ± 0.40	12.28 ax ± 0.46
	ΔE (–)
1	–	1.49 ax ± 0.60	2.98 by ± 0.45	4.78 cy ± 0.75
7	0.96 a ± 0.53	1.50 abx ± 0.63	1.62 bx ± 0.36	2.78 cx ± 0.71

¹ Different letters within rows (a–d; Tukey’s HSD, p < 0.05) and columns (x–y; t-test, p < 0.05) indicate the statistical difference.

). Additionally, the a* parameter demonstrated a significant reduction in redness, while the b* parameter displayed an increase in yellowness, as evidenced by the significantly higher values observed. The notable changes in the color of the pâtés with insect powder are due to the natural darker brown color of yellow mealworm powder compared to the natural color of wheat flour.

After a week of storage, a contrasting trend was observed solely about the b* color parameter, whereby the values were significantly lower for the pâtés with insect powder. The storage time significantly impacted the color parameters of the pâtés with insect powder. Compared to the pâtés tested after one day, there was a significant increase in the L* values and a decrease in both the a* and b* values. Color changes can significantly affect consumer acceptance of such products, but consumers may favorably perceive darker colors. It may be associated with the lack of preservatives and the typical color of pâtés, especially those made from pork. For example, the color of pâtés prepared from duck and goose meat was greatly assessed by the sensory panel than the color of the pâté made from chicken meat [47]. Similarly, in a study by Kim et al. [48], the increasing amount of chicken breast as a replacement for pork loin in emulsion sausages resulted in a decrease in the color scores assigned by the sensory panel.

The total color difference values indicated that as the quantity of yellow mealworm powder increased, the color differences became more pronounced (Table 4). The addition of 3% mealworm powder enabled the color differences to be discerned by an experienced observer (1 < ΔE < 2). In comparison, a 6% addition resulted in these changes being noticeable by an inexperienced observer (2 < ΔE < 3.5) [49]. After a week of storage, the total color differences diminished significantly. Only in pâtés with the addition of 9% yellow mealworm powder could the color differences be discerned by an inexperienced observer (ΔE > 2.0).

3.5. Sensory Evaluation of Pâtés

Studying factors that influence sensory quality is crucial in food product development as consumers decide on their food choices in the market. If the sensory quality of the product is reduced, the product will not be accepted by the consumer and has no chance of being present on the food market [50,51]. The results presented in Figure 4 indicated that the overall quality of the pâtés after 1 day of storage tends to be lower as the amount of insect powder increased, and the lowest (not significant) overall quality was noted for the pâté with a 9% addition of yellow mealworm powder. The noted reduced overall sensory quality of this pâté resulted from the significantly lower smoothness and a tendency toward higher perceptibility of bitter and burning taste (not significant). Comparing the results after 7 days of storage, it can be seen that the observed differences deepened (Figure 5). The overall sensory quality of the pâtés with yellow mealworm powder addition significantly decreased, and the product with a 9% addition of insect powder had the lowest note. This was associated with significantly lower smoothness and significantly higher perceptibility of bitter taste for this pâté variant.

The PCA showed that the overall quality of the pâtés was strongly and positively correlated with the smoothness, spreadability, moisture perception, and meaty flavor and odor (Figure 6). The storage at 4 °C for 7 days in the PCA plot indicates the high sensory quality of PC_7 and P3%_7 pâtés (close to the “overall quality” vector). Furthermore, compared to control pâtés, the distant position of products with a 9% insect powder addition (P9%_1 and P9%_7) to the overall quality vector indicates their lower quality.

As expected, the meaty odor and flavor and spicy odor and flavor were positively correlated and were accountable for increasing the overall sensory quality of the studied pâté products. It must be underlined that spicy flavors and aromas usually do not come from a single compound but result from various compounds in plant products and foods, including terpenes, essential oils, and aldehydes. Many of these substances are volatile, giving them a potent fragrance. Therefore, they greatly influence the aroma and flavor of the final products [50]. However, suppose the intensity of the flavor of the added substance is too high. In that case, it decreases the perceptibility of meaty notes and other positive attributes. It increases negative sensations like burning and bitterness, finally resulting in a decrease in the overall quality.

Similarly, in a study by Smarzyński et al. [24], the increasing amount of up to 10% addition of cricket powder in pork pâtés resulted in decreased meat flavor and overall quality. However, the final score was not significantly different in the case of pâté with 2% addition of cricket powder. Moreover, Wendin et al. [13] have observed a slight tendency for less liking at higher levels of insect flour, most evident for the properties, appearance, and texture (for pâtés). They claimed that pâtés appearance liking and overall liking decreased significantly with the addition of yellow mealworm. It is known from the literature that even a slight increase in the intensity of negative attributes, mainly flavor and especially odor, is related to a severe decrease in the overall sensory quality of food products. These relations are not linear [51]. We can observe such a situation when the studied chicken and pork pâté contains 9% of insect powder.

4. Conclusions

The research proves that replacing wheat flour with yellow mealworm powder affects the physical, microbiological, and sensory characteristics of the obtained pâtés.

The research has demonstrated that yellow mealworm powder can be utilized in the pâté recipe as a partial substitute for wheat flour. The level of powdered insects introduced has also emerged as a significant factor influencing the alterations in the quality attributes of these products. As the amount of mealworm powder in the pâté batters increased, the G′ and G″ values also increased, indicating changes in the microstructure of pâté batters. The pâté batters with yellow mealworm powder showed a stronger weak gel than the control. However, in the case of the final product, the incorporation of yellow mealworm powder has been observed to significantly weaken the structure of the pâtés, resulting in a reduction in shear force and an increase in spreadability. This phenomenon is generally beneficial, as a soft structure of pâtés facilitates easier spreading on bread. Furthermore, the darker color of the pâtés prepared with yellow mealworm powder suggests the absence of preservatives used or the typical color of widely eaten pork pâtés, which could contribute to a greater willingness to reach for such a product.

Considering the properties mentioned above and the sensory criterion, it may be concluded that substituting wheat flour with yellow mealworm powder at 2:1 is the most satisfying option. A higher level of wheat flour substitution is also possible, and it necessitates the incorporation of additional ingredients to mask any unpleasant sensory perceptions, such as a bitter flavor or lack of smoothness. Based on current research, it is impossible to completely eliminate wheat flour from the pâté recipe using insect powder. To obtain a gluten-free product, further research would need to be conducted on using yellow mealworm powder and other gluten-free ingredients.

Furthermore, further research should focus on controlling the allergenicity of such products due to the introduction of crustacean and mollusk allergens into the formulation, as well as studies involving consumer acceptance and the profiles of volatile compounds and fatty acids.