DOI - Mendel University Press

DOI identifiers

DOI: 10.11118/978-80-7701-100-6-0080

VLIV ÚPRAVY A SKLADOVÁNÍ NA VYBRANÉ KVALITATIVNÍ PARAMETRY LAREV POTEMNÍKA MOUČNÉHO (TENEBRIO MOLITOR)

THE INFLUENCE OF PROCESSING AND STORAGE ON THE SELECTED QUALITATIVE PARAMETERS OF THE YELLOW MEALWORM LARVAE (TENEBRIO MOLITOR)

Veronika Božena Hendrychová1, Šárka Nedomová1, Barbora Odehnalová1, Andrea Roztočilová1, Jan Slováček1, Adam Kovál1
1 Ústav technologie potravin, Agronomická fakulta, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1665/1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika


Mealworm larvae (Tenebrio molitor) show a great potential for their use in the food industry, while the quality parameters of the product are affected by the method of technological processing. Two variants of the larvae were prepared: K (blanched in water) and C (blanched in a 2% citric acid solution). The larvae were then stored for 6 months. K variant showed a higher weight and volume yield (38.81%; 172.80%) compared to the C variant (33.51%; 140.54%). Under the same processing conditions, with the C variant the higher degree of drying and higher volume density was achieved. Higher volume density then may be associated with the flatter shape of the larvae. The pH values of the C variant were on average 0.35 lower than for the K variant. The geometric parameters of the larvae in K and C variants were relatively stable during storage. In both variants, there was a statistically significant decrease in the lightness (L*) and an intensification of the red shade intensity (a*) during storage. 

Keywords: edible insects, drying, storage, geometric parameters, color

pages: 80-85, online: 2026



References

  1. Brogan, E., Park, Y. L., Matak, K. E., Jaczynski, J. (2021): Characterization of protein in cricket (Acheta domesticus), locust (Locusta migratoria) and silk worm pupae (Bombyx mori) insect powders. LWT - Food Science and Technology, 152. Dostupné z: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2021.112314 Go to original source...
  2. Darshan, G., Pawase, P. A., Goswami, C., Kashyap, P. (2025): Refractance window drying of dragon fruit: drying kinetics, mass transfer parameters and structural analysis. Food Science and Biotechnology, 34(12), 2785-2797. Dostupné z: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10068-025-01909-9 Go to original source...
  3. Cho, S. Y., Ryu, G. H. (2021): Effects of mealworm larva composition and selected process parameters on the physicochemical properties of extruded meat analog. Food Science and Nutrition, 9(8), 4408-4419. Dostupné z: https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.2414 Go to original source...
  4. Klunder, H. C., Wolkers-Rooijackers, J., Korpela, J. M., Nout, M. J. R. (2012): Microbiological aspects of processing and storage of edible insects. Food Control, 26(2), 628-631. Dostupné z: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2012.02.013 Go to original source...
  5. Kröncke, N., Böschen, V., Woyzuchovski, J., Demtröder, S., Benning, R. (2018): Comparison of suitable drying processes for mealworms (Tenebrio molitor). Innovative Food Science and Emerging Technologies, 50, 20-25. Dostupné z: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ifset.2018.10.009 Go to original source...
  6. Lenaerts, S., Van Der Borght, M., Callens, A., Van Campenhout, L. (2018): Suitability of microwave drying for mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) as alternative to freeze drying: Impact on nutritional quality and colour. Food Chemistry, 254, 129-136. Dostupné z: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2018.02.006 Go to original source...
  7. Machona, O., Matongorere, M., Chidzwondo, F., Mangoyi, R. (2022): Evaluation of Nutritional Content of the Larvae of Tenebrio Molitor, and Formulation of Broiler Stockfeed. Entomology and Applied Science Letters, 9(4), 44-56. Dostupné z: https://doi.org/10.51847/1WgQiAHwj4 Go to original source...
  8. Megido, R. C., Sablon, L., Geuens, M., Brostaux, Y., Alabi, T., Blecker, Ch., Drugmand, D., Haubruge, É., Francis, F. (2013): Edible Insects Acceptance by Belgian Consumers: Promising Attitude For Entomophagy Development. Journal of Sensory Studies, 29(1), 14-20. Dostupné z: https://doi.org/10.1111/joss.12077 Go to original source...
  9. Ojha, S., Bußler, S., Psarianos, M., Rossi, G., Schlüter, O. K. (2021): Edible insect processing pathways and implementation of emerging technologies. Journal of Insects as Food and Feed, 7(5). 877-900. Dostupné z: https://doi.org/10.3920/JIFF2020.0121 Go to original source...
  10. Pippinato, L., Gasco, L., Di Vita, G., Mancuso, T. (2020): Current scenario in the European edible-insect industry: a preliminary study. Journal of Insects as Food and Feed, 6(4), 371-381. Dostupné z: https://doi.org/10.3920/JIFF2020.0008 Go to original source...
  11. Ribeiro, J. C., Marques, J. P., Fernandes, T. R., Pintado, M. E., Carvalho, S. M. P., Cunha, L. M. (2024): Effect of blanching, storage and drying conditions on the macro-composition, color and safety of mealworm Tenebrio molitor larvae. LWT - Food Science and Technology, 191. 115646. Dostupné z: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2023.115646 Go to original source...
  12. Rossi, G., Ojha, S., Pathak, N, Mahajan, P., Schlüter, O. K. Storage and Packaging of Edible Insects. In: Grasso, S., Bordiga, M. (Eds.), (2023): Edible insects processing for food and feed: from startups to mass production, First edition. ed. CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group, Boca Raton. ISBN 9781003165729 Go to original source...
  13. Saucier, L., M'ballou, C., Ratti, C., Deschamps, M.-H., Lebeuf, Y., Vandenberg, G. W. (2021): Comparison of black soldier fly larvae pre-treatments and drying techniques on the microbial load and physico-chemical characteristics. Journal of Insects as Food and Feed, 8(1), 45-64. Dostupné z: https://doi.org/10.3920/JIFF2021.0002 Go to original source...
  14. Tobolková, B., Takáč, P., Mangová, B., Kozánek, M. (2021): A comparative study of colour characteristics of thermally/non-thermally treated mealworm larvae (Tenebrio molitor) by means of UV/Vis spectroscopy and multivariate analysis. Food Measure, 15(4), 3791-3799. Dostupné z: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11694-021-00957-z Go to original source...
  15. Vandeweyer, D., Lenaerts, S., Callens, A., Van Campenhout, L. (2017): Effect of blanching followed by refrigerated storage or industrial microwave drying on the microbial load of yellow mealworm larvae (Tenebrio molitor). Food Control, 71, 311-314. Dostupné z: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2016.07.011 Go to original source...
  16. Yener, S., Mishyna, M., Zhao, L., Velazco, O. N., Cadesky, L., Lakemond, C., Fogliano, V. (2024): Volatile compounds and quality changes of lesser mealworm larvae: effect of blanching, storage temperature and time. Journal of Insects as Food and Feed, 1-12. Dostupné z: https://doi.org/10.1163/23524588-00001051 Go to original source...