*Article* **Low-Field NMR Study of Shortcake Biscuits with Cricket Powder, and Their Nutritional and Physical Characteristics**

**Krzysztof Smarzy ´nski <sup>1</sup> , Paulina Sarbak <sup>1</sup> , Przemysław Łukasz Kowalczewski <sup>2</sup> , Maria Barbara Róza ´nska ˙ 2 , Iga Rybicka <sup>3</sup> , Katarzyna Polanowska <sup>2</sup> , Monika Fedko <sup>4</sup> , Dominik Kmiecik <sup>2</sup> , Łukasz Masewicz <sup>5</sup> , Marcin Nowicki <sup>6</sup> , Jacek Lewandowicz <sup>7</sup> , Paweł Jezowski ˙ 8 , Miroslava Kaˇcániová 9,10 , Mariusz Slachci ´nski ´ <sup>8</sup> , Tomasz Piechota <sup>11</sup> and Hanna Maria Baranowska 5,\***

	- Institute of Chemistry and Technical Electrochemistry, Poznan University of Technology, Berdychowo 4,

8


**Abstract:** The growing human population renders challenges for the future supply of food products with high nutritional value. Here, we enhanced the functional and nutritional value of biscuits, a popular sweet snack, by replacing the wheat flour with 2%, 6%, or 10% (*w*/*w*) cricket powder. Consumer acceptance ratings for reference and 2% augmented cookies were comparable, whereas the higher levels of enhancement received inferior consumer scores. This relatively small change in biscuit recipe provided significant and nutritionally desirable enhancements in the biscuits, observed in a series of analyses. An increase in the protein content was observed, including essential amino acids, as well as minerals and fat. This conversion also affected the physical properties of the biscuits, including hardness, and water molecular dynamics measured by <sup>1</sup>H NMR. Cricket powderaugmented biscuits join the line of enhanced, functionally superior food products. This and similar food augmentation provide a viable scenario to meet the human food demands in the future.

**Keywords:** *Acheta domesticus*; amino acids composition; cookies with insects; edible insects; fatty acids; nutritional value; minerals; <sup>1</sup>H NMR; water dynamics

**Citation:** Smarzy ´nski, K.; Sarbak, P.; Kowalczewski, P.Ł.; Róza ´nska, M.B.; ˙ Rybicka, I.; Polanowska, K.; Fedko, M.; Kmiecik, D.; Masewicz, Ł.; Nowicki, M.; et al. Low-Field NMR Study of Shortcake Biscuits with Cricket Powder, and Their Nutritional and Physical Characteristics. *Molecules* **2021**, *26*, 5417. https://doi.org/10.3390/ molecules26175417

Academic Editor: Davide Bertelli

Received: 28 July 2021 Accepted: 1 September 2021 Published: 6 September 2021

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