Sensorial flavor characteristics and volatile Maillard reaction products of Tenebrio molitor mealworm based-reaction flavors with beef broth-like flavor.

This study analyzed the sensorial flavor characteristics and volatile Maillard reaction products of Tenebrio molitor mealworm based-reaction flavors (M-RFs) optimized in our previous study; it also explored the main contributors to M-RFs with a desirable beef broth-like flavor. Seven flavor characteristics (i.e., sweet, sour, meaty, sulfur-like, boiled soy sauce-like, baked potato-like, and dried shrimp-like flavors) were profiled in the M-RFs by sensory evaluation; when the baked potato-like, boiled soy sauce-like, sweet, and meaty flavor attributes were intensified, the M-RFs had beef broth-like flavor. Also, pyrazines, pyrroles, and pyrans were strongly associated with them in the partial least-squares regression plot. Those M-RFs were reacted with a small amount of cysteine and a large amount of methionine compared to other M-RFs and it was revealed that cysteine and methionine significantly influenced the desirable beef broth-like flavor characteristics of M-RFs. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10068-024-01681-2.