Characterization of Flavor Components and Improvement of Palatability for the Insect Foodstuffs

The utilization of edible insects is one of the countermeasures against the global population explosion, food crisis, and environmental problems. However, the peculiar flavor of insect foodstuffs is a major obstacle to the widespread use of insect foods. Therefore, in order to reduce the adverse effects of insect foodstuffs on taste and smell, we prepared croissants with the addition of Gryllus bimaculatus powder or Locusta genus powder. These croissants could be further improved in terms of palatability by using secondary ingredients. Furthermore, with the aim of clarifying the characteristics of the flavor components of the insect ingredients, we analyzed the odor components and taste intensity, and were able to infer the factors that reduced the palatability of Locusta genus powder.