Insect-based dinner products for meat substitution in ordinary diets: developing the quality criteria and experimental products for consumer interventions

The growing environmental impact of livestock farming has emphasised the need for more sustainable diets with lower meat consumption, identifying insects as a potential alternative protein source. The Sustainable Insect Chain (SUSINCHAIN) project aimed to incorporate six new insect protein products into regular dinner meals, aiming to replace 20% of meat protein through a six-week dietary intervention in Denmark and Portugal, namely a randomised controlled study targeting families with children and young and childless couples respectively. This paper presents the process undertaken by project partners to develop the specifications and establish the quality criteria for the six study products. Quality criteria focused on the immediate appeal and sensory properties of edible insects as food ingredients, particularly taste, texture, and appearance to promote acceptability. Initial sensory evaluations of product prototypes provided essential feedback for improvement. The development of insect-based food products, including those mimicking traditional meat products, highlighted the significance of sensory quality and consumer perception in product acceptance. Non-meat mimicking items had high sensory appeal, but were not perceived as meat replacements, typically being later added as side dishes or supplements by intervention participants. Balancing insect protein content with sensory appeal presented challenges, highlighting the need to consider portion sizes and presentation. Overall, animal meat protein replacement in dinner meals using insect-based foods requires an integrated approach that combines innovative product development, ongoing quality assessments, and a deep understanding of consumer preferences, crucial for market acceptance and adoption.