Funded under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 1.3, Theme 10.
Funded under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 1.3, Theme 10.
The effect of different insect powders as meat extenders in beef burge...
Highlights
Coordinator
Reformulation or improvement of relevant food products in the national context in order to: a) implement the nutritional characteristics also by reducing antinutrients or using bioprocessed ingredients (from raw products to ingredients) and limit the use of undesirable components (e.g. by using bioactives) along the food system b) improve food formulation and composition based on consumer perception and needs identified for specific target groups (in connection with Spoke 5 and 6) c) promote clear and ad hoc labelling as an information tool (in connection with Spoke 1 and 7) to increase the willingness to buy improved foods d) guarantee safety and affordability of new products (in connection with Spoke 1 and 3).
In depth characterization of the new products using different approaches (including omics techniques) to get their unique fingerprint (e.g., foodome evaluation) and to compare it to corresponding benchmark.
Identification of nutrient and non-nutrient food components (and their metabolic products) potentially involved in the promotion of consumer health, and evaluation of their bio accessibility, bioavailability, and effect on the gut microbiota, using in silico, in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo approaches on humans/animals to confirm the actual absorption and bioactivity of non-nutrient components also considering specific dietary patterns and target groups.
Evaluation of food-human interactions following the events occurring in the gastrointestinal milieu by both in vitro and in vivo approaches and elucidation of the impact of new foods and corresponding benchmarks.
Selection of raw materials/ingredients with improved nutritional characteristics and limited undesirable components (M12)
Application of advanced analytical procedures for the assessment of composition parameters in at least one existing, reformulated and implemented product of each food category according to task 4.1.1. and 4.1.2. (M30)
Evaluation of the bioavailability and bioactivity of at least two components of foods proven to directly impact human health (M36)
Elucidation of the interaction between the selected foods (and benchmarks) and the intestinal milieu (M30)
Animal proteins from meat represent a concern for both sustainability and food production standpoints. Recently, insects have been proposed as promising alternative protein sources. Currently, four insect-based novel foods have been authorised by EFSA, including ‘Tenebrio molitor’, ‘Locusta migratoria’, and ‘Acheta domesticus’. Therefore, the reformulation of meat products through reduction of meat proteins is gaining interest, although technological challenges related to both textural parameters and gastrointestinal behaviour still persist.
In this project, we aim to include different insect powders in beef meat to formulate insect-fortified beef burgers. A multidisciplinary approach will consider a) the chemical and microbiological characterization of the insect powders, b) the technological and sensor properties of the formulated beef burgers, and c) the effect of cooking and in vitro gastrointestinal digestion on the metabolomic profile of the formulated meat products.
Different commercial insect powders will be collected and analysed for their microbiological and chemical properties. The insect powders will be included in beef meat to replace a 5% (w/w) of the meat protein and compared against a control sample (no insect added). The formulated insect-added burgers will be analysed looking at some key safety, microbiological, chemical, and technological parameters. A visual and olfactory analysis will provide a first degree of knowledge about the sensory acceptability of the formulated products. As far as the technological properties are concerned, cooked samples will be analysed for their cooking yield, color, and textural parameters. The harmonized INFOGEST static gastrointestinal method will be used to evaluate the fate of beef burgers during the simulated in vitro consumption. Also, the impact of insect addition will be evaluated using an untargeted metabolomics approach based on high-resolution mass spectrometry.
The expected results of this project are:
