Researchers Examine Insect Fat as Potential Butter Replacement

Insects are touted for their nutritional benefits and low environmental footprint.  Selected varieties, such as crickets, grasshoppers and mealworms, are high in protein, fat and fibre, as well as minerals such as calcium, iron, and phosphorous.  And production produces fewer greenhouse gases, requires less feed, and minimal water and land usage compared to conventional livestock farming.  These factors have boosted the presence of whole insects and insect ingredient containing products on the retail shelf, yet acceptance of as a food remains low. This is largely due to sensory appeal, unfamiliarity, low availability, high price, and poor image otherwise referred to as ‘the ick factor’, according to a FoodNavigator.com report on March 03.  

In a study, “Consumers’ perception of bakery products with insect fat as partial butter replacement,” led by Claudia Delicato from Ghent University’s Department of Agricultural Economics, researchers surveyed reactions to bakery products containing an ingredient made from insect fat.  The ingredient was incorporated into three well-known favorites: cakes, cookies, and waffles.  The fat was sourced from black soldier fly (BSF) larvae which, due to its economic viability, is predominantly used in animal feed.  BSF larvae fat (LF) contains about 70 saturated fatty acids, with lauric acid accounting for more than 40%.  

A total of 344 participants were asked to taste test the cakes, cookies, and waffles.  Each bakery product was formulated with 0%, 25% and 50% BSF LF butter substitute.  According to the findings, BSF LF can replace 25% of butter in these bakery products without changing the overall food experience and liking.  In waffles, and potentially in other bakery products with direct heat content, up to 50% could be substituted without influencing consumers’ acceptance. However, formulation with 50% BSF LF was associated with sensory challenges, although as regards texture and color, the study found they were “hardly affected”, which indicates that BSF LF provides a similar structure and functionality as butter when used in bakery products.