Integration of Tenebrio molitor and sour cherries in biscuits: formulation, nutritional value, safety, digestion and shelf-life evaluation

Tenebrio molitor (mealworm) has emerged as a sustainable protein source for baked goods, but its effects on texture, digestibility, safety (acrylamide formation) and sensory quality over time in sweet bakery products remain insufficiently explored. This study aimed to develop a novel, protein-enriched biscuit formulation by partially replacing wheat flour with T. molitor powder (5% (w/w) and 10% (w/w)) and incorporating freeze-dried sour cherry powder to enhance sensory appeal and moisture retention. A multidisciplinary assessment was conducted, including proximate analysis, acrylamide determination, in vitro digestion to evaluate protein bioaccessibility, textural parameters and an accelerated shelf-life study (through sensory analysis). Results demonstrated that T. molitor incorporation significantly increased protein content (28.57 and 51.95% in biscuits with 5 (w/w) and 10% (w/w) T. molitor powder, respectively), as well as Protein/Carbohydrate ratio and the Protein/Fat ratio, while reducing biscuit breaking resistance and, in turn, improving biscuit friability. Acrylamide levels remained below regulatory limits (≤30 μg/kg), while partial wheat flour substitution with T. molitor powder improved protein digestibility. Notably, biscuits with 10% (w/w) T. molitor showed reduced hardness and maintained good sensory stability during storage. Overall, these results support the technological feasibility and industrial potential of T. molitor as a sustainable protein ingredient in bakery products. © E. Lo Faro et al., 2026. Published with license by Koninklijke Brill BV. This work is published by Koninklijke Brill BV. Koninklijke Brill bv incorporates the imprints Brill, Brill Nijhoff, Brill Schöningh, Brill Fink, Brill mentis, Brill Wageningen Academic, Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Böhlau and V&R unipress. Koninklijke Brill BV reserves the right to protect the publication against unauthorized use and to authorize dissemination by means of offprints, legitimate photocopies, microform editions, reprints, translations, and secondary information sources, such as abstracting and indexing services including databases. Requests for commercial re-use, use of parts of the publication, and/or translations must be addressed to Koninklijke Brill BV.