The aim of this study was to determine the degree of acceptability of wheat pancakes with the addition of 10%, 20%, and 30% meal from three edible insect species (Alphitobius diaperinus, Tenebrio molitor, Acheta domesticus, respectively). Both consumer attitudes and the acceptability of the test samples were analysed. The study results show that the amount of additive had a statistically significant effect on all of the organoleptic evaluation’s distinguishing features, while the type of additive did not have such a significant effect on the level of consumer acceptability. Both the type and amount of the additive only had a statistically significant effect on the structure of the pancakes. Of all the variants, the sample with the addition of 30% crickets (Pref-2.51) was given the lowest score. An increase in the insect meal content of the products resulted in decreased scores for all the parameters under assessment. The key element that influenced the overall preference was the flavour. Even though the respondents declared positive attitudes towards the idea of consuming pancakes with the addition of insects and entomophagy in general, they were still reluctant to include insects in their diets.

Inulin is a popular prebiotic that is often used in the production of ice cream, mainly to improve its consistency. It also reduces the hardness of ice cream, as well as improving the ice cream’s organoleptic characteristics. Inulin can also improve the texture of sorbets, which are gaining popularity as an alternative to milk-based ice cream. Sorbets can be an excellent source of natural vitamins and antioxidants. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the addition of inulin on the sensory characteristics and health-promoting value of avocado, kiwi, honey melon, yellow melon and mango sorbets. Three types of sorbets were made—two with inulin (2% and 5% wt.) and the other without—using fresh fruit with the addition of water, sucrose and lemon juice. Both the type of fruit and the addition of inulin influenced the sorbet mixture viscosity, the content of polyphenols, vitamin C, acidity, ability to scavenge free radicals using DPPH reagent, melting resistance, overrun and sensory evaluation of the tested sorbets (all p < 0.05). The addition of inulin had no impact on the color of the tested sorbets, only the type of fruit influenced this feature. In the sensory evaluation, the mango sorbets were rated the best and the avocado sorbets were rated the worst. Sorbets can be a good source of antioxidant compounds. The tested fruits sorbets had different levels of polyphenol content and the ability to scavenge free radicals. Kiwi sorbet had the highest antioxidant potential among the tested fruits. The obtained ability to catch free radicals and the content of polyphenols proved the beneficial effect of sorbets, particularly as a valuable source of antioxidants. The addition of inulin improved the meltability, which may indicate the effect of inulin on the consistency. Further research should focus on making sorbets only from natural ingredients and comparing their health-promoting quality with the ready-made sorbets that are available on the market, which are made from ready-made ice cream mixes.

Sorbets are a popular dessert, especially during hot summer days. They can also have health-promoting qualities, mainly due to the nutritional value of the fruit from which they are made. The production technology can also have an impact on the final nutritional quality of the sorbets. This paper presents a comparative assessment of the quality of industrial fruit sorbets and their craft analogs. Sorbets with the following flavors were selected for the research: blueberry, strawberry, raspberry, and passion fruit with mango. An organoleptic evaluation was performed, and the overrun, melting resistance, active acidity (pH), color in the CIE Lab system, antiradical activity (DDPH method), and content of vitamin C and total polyphenols were determined. The research revealed the differences between sorbets produced from different fruits as well as the differences depending on the production method between products made of the same type of fruit. Craft sorbets were found to be better than industrial sorbets, and storage time had a significant effect on the sorbets’ quality. In terms of organoleptic characteristics, craft mango-passion fruit sorbet turned out to be the best; in terms of antioxidant properties, craft raspberry and strawberry sorbets were the best, and these two sorbets also showed good, stable overrun and melting resistance values during storage.

The aim of the study was to analyze the acceptance of muffins containing a 15% addition of powder from four edible insect species (Alphitobius diaperinus, Tenebrio molitor, Acheta domesticus, Ruspolia differens) in both savory and sweet versions, focusing on the psychological factors influencing their consumption. The study involved 106 adult consumers. Initially, the level of food neophobia (FNS) among participants was determined. Over 80% displayed low to medium levels of neophobia. Similar results were obtained when assessing attitudes towards insects, with most participants showing positive and ambivalent attitudes. Based on these findings, the acceptance of insect-based muffins was evaluated. The level of acceptance of insects varied and depended mainly on taste, smell, and texture. Participants with lower levels of neophobia and positive attitudes towards consuming insects generally rated the insect muffins higher compared to those with higher levels of neophobia and negative attitudes. The sweet versions of insect powder muffins were rated higher, which also indicates preferences and dietary habits. Products with grasshopper powder (GS, GCL) were rated the lowest for both taste versions. Conversely, products based on buffalo worms (BS, BCL) were seen as having the greatest potential for acceptance. Understanding consumer attitudes, neophobia, and levels of acceptance provides valuable insights for designing new insect-based foods.

Consumer research is crucial, especially in the context of food design. This paper surveyed consumer attitudes, behaviors, and opinions toward sorbets. The study assessed the impact of key demographic factors on these data. Respondents were also surveyed regarding their openness to new food products—based on the Food Neophobia Scale—and their potential willingness to buy and consume sorbets with kumquats. The survey results, conducted among 995 sorbet consumers, indicate that consumers are open to new food products, but their attitudes depend on selected sociodemographic data. The most popular sorbets are made from native fruits (strawberries, raspberries for Polish consumers), but also from exotic fruits and citrus fruits. Oranges and tangerines which are sweet and sour fruits with a pleasant aroma were the most preferred. Knowledge about kumquat was relatively low, but after receiving information about it, most consumers were still not willing or hesitated to try such a sorbet. Nevertheless consumers declared they liked to try new sorbet flavors. This provides a basis for designing and introducing new or innovative frozen desserts to the market. Therefore, we recommend developing citrus fruit sorbets with kumquats and subjecting them to quality assessment, including consumer and sensory evaluation.

The growing interest in isotonic drinks translates into the need to develop formulations based on natural raw materials, which limit the use of synthetic additives while simultaneously increasing the bioactive value and sensory appeal of the products. The aim of this study was to develop innovative formulations for isotonic drinks based on natural fruit juices and to evaluate their physicochemical properties and sensory acceptance. Formulations containing 10–15% (v/v) fruit juice, with the addition of salt (0.13 g/100 mL) and organic sugar, were prepared, taking care to maintain osmolality within the range of 270–330 mOsm/kg. The 10 most appealing variants were selected and subjected to sensory analysis using the QDA; physicochemical analyses, including the determination of total polyphenol content (TP) and the DPPH free radical scavenging capacity; and the measurement of color parameters in the CIE Lab system. All the drinks analyzed received positive ratings in the sensory test (average acceptability scores ranging from 6.9 to 8.1). Physicochemical analyses revealed that the drinks had significant antioxidant activity: polyphenol content ranged from 46 mg to nearly 170 mg GAE/100 mL, whilst DPPH free radical scavenging capacity ranged from 45% to nearly 90%. We found that the use of fruit juices makes it possible to create isotonic drinks which not only effectively rehydrate, but also provide valuable antioxidant compounds.