Nutritional value of Protaetia brevitarsis powder and its effect on the flavor and antioxidant capacity of dough

Numerous studies have demonstrated that adding nutrients to flour products can enhance their physical and nutritional qualities. Edible insects are considered a valuable food source and may be added to the dough to increase the nutritional value of baked goods. In this study, using the edible insect Protaetia brevitarsis larvae as the experimental object, we characterized their nutritional properties (phenolics, amino acids, and fatty acids), and used different proportions to explore the effects of P. brevitarsis powder on the flavor of dough. We identified 11 phenolics within the powder, among which, gentistic and vanillic acids were the most abundant. Furthermore, the P. brevitarsis powder contained 17 amino and fatty acids each. Moreover, the addition of P. brevitarsis powder decreased the degree of protein weakening, recovery, brightness, and specific volume of the dough while increasing the water absorption rate and oE* value. For the volatile flavor components, the P. brevitarsis powder also rendered the dough with additional flavor characteristics and increased the ester, acid, and ketone content while decreasing the aldehyde content (especially in ethyl cetylate, acetic acid, ethanol, and 2-butanone). Furthermore, the P. brevitarsis powder enhanced the TPC, TFC, DPPH center dot, and ABTS center dot+ scavenging activities of the dough. Therefore, based on the bioactive components, functions, and aromatic properties of the powder, this study provides data supporting the use of P. brevitarsis powder in the field of antioxidant functional foods.