131: Rheological and Textural Characterization of Doughs Fortified With Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia Ilucens) Larvae Flour

Introduction

BSFL flour, rich in high-quality protein and essential amino acids, offers potential for enhancing foods while addressing environmental sustainability challenges. The successful integration of BSFL flour in foods depends on its impact on the rheological/textural properties of the fortified doughs, as these characteristics influence processing, and product consumer acceptability. Nevertheless, treatments to inactivate pathogens are still required to ensure flour safety. Flour particle size and treatment of the flour with a non-thermal process (ACP), play pivotal roles in determining the flour's behavior in dough systems.

Methods

BSFL flour was separated into 19- and 38-mesh fractions and mixed at 50% with cassava flour to prepare gluten-free doughs. Non-sieved BSFL flour was mixed at 50% with all-purpose flour, treated with ACP at 70 kV for 8 minutes, and made into dough. Two controls were used: 100% all-purpose flour and untreated BSFL flour (50%) with all-purpose flour (50%). Rheological tests (frequency sweeps, 0.1–100 Hz; creep-recovery, 100 Pa) were conducted using a DHR-20 rheometer at 25°C with a 20-mm cross-hatched plate. Textural profile analysis (TPA) assessed hardness and cohesiveness using a double compression test with speeds of 5.0/2.0/5.0 mm/s and 75% strain. ACP’s effects on bulk density, moisture content, and foam stability were also evaluated.

Results

ACP-treated BSFL doughs showed slightly higher elasticity (G′) than the control, indicating changes in protein structure or cross-linking. The finer #38 BSFL flour produced more elastic doughs (p<0.05), ideal for crackers or pasta, with creep tests confirming these findings. Sieving increased hardness (17.1 N and 18.3 N for #38 and #19, respectively) and decreased cohesiveness (0.16 and 0.17) compared to the control (3.1 N hardness, 0.24 cohesiveness), making sieved flours suitable for less pliable applications like energy bars. Rheological analysis showed control dough was less elastic (lower G’, p<0.05), untreated BSFL dough had the highest value, and ACP-treated dough balanced strength and flexibility, ideal for versatile uses like bread. ACP treatment slightly increased stiffness without compromising quality, supporting diverse applications.

Significance

The incorporation of BSFL flour into cassava and all-purpose flours is feasible for manufacturing diverse dough-based products, with ACP treatment enhancing safety and maintaining quality.

Authors: Leonila Estefania Ulloa, Pearl Pinto, Rosana G. Moreira, M.E. Castell-Perez