This paper discusses the sensory analysis of food enriched with selected edible insect species which are labelled as a novel food – house cricket (Acheta domesticus) and mealworm (Tenebrio molitor). Energy bars of two different compositions with the addition of cricket flour and puff pastry bars sprinkled with the whole roasted mealworm larvae were evaluated by consumer tests performed via a questionnaire survey. Respondents represented both men and women in equal numbers and included consumers with the experience of the sensory analysis and edible insects to ensure accurate results. Sensory analyses revealed that respondents associated their tastes with already known flavors (salty, sweet, bitter, fish, French fries, chicken, and mushrooms). The most common answer from respondents was a salty taste, followed by a sweet taste. There were also unusual comparisons such as pine seeds. Consumers’ positive attitude to these energy bars has been registered which shows that the Czech consumer accepts edible insects in a suitable form as a novel food and possible part of the food basket.

This study focuses on the use of thermodynamic sensors (TDS) in baking, brewing, and yogurt production at home. Using thermodynamic sensors, a change in the temperature flow between the two sensor elements during fermentation was observed for the final mixture (complete recipe for pizza dough production), showing the possibility of distinguishing some phases of the fermentation process. Even during the fermentation process in the preparation of wort and yogurt with non-traditional additives, the sensors were able to indicate significant parts of the process, including the end of the process. The research article also mentions as a new idea the use of trivial regulation at home in food production to determine the course of the fermentation process. The results presented in this article show the possibility of using TDS for more accurate characterization and adjustment of the production process of selected foods in the basic phase, which will be further applicable in the food industry, with the potential to reduce the cost of food production processes that involve a fermentation process.

Dough fermentation in gluten-free bakery products is problematic due to the absence of gluten, which provides advantageous rheological properties. A thermodynamic sensor (TDS) system combined with an electronic nose was tested as an alternative to conventional methods monitoring dough development based on mechanical properties. In the first part, the configuration of the sensors in the thermodynamic system and their response to different heat-source positions, which significantly affect the output signal from the measurement system, were investigated. The practical contribution lies in the application of the measurements to the example of gluten-free doughs with and without edible insect enrichment. An optimized configuration of the thermodynamic system (one sensor on the inner wall of the container at the bottom and another in the middle of the container closer to the top of the dough) in combination with an experimental electronic nose was used for the aforementioned measurement. In some cases, up to 87% correlation between the signal from the TDS and the signals from a professional rheofermentometer Rheo F-4 (Chopin) was demonstrated. The differences between the results can be explained by the use of different techniques. Using a combination of sensor systems in one place, one time and one sample can lead to more comprehensive and robust results. Furthermore, it was shown that the fermentation activity increased in corn dough with the addition of insects compared to dough without the addition. In rice flour dough with the addition of edible insects, fermentation activity was similar to that of the flour without the addition.

This study focuses on an applicability of the device designed for monitoring dough fermentation. The device combines a complex system of thermodynamic sensors (TDSs) with an electronic nose (E-nose). The device’s behavior was tested in experiments with dough samples. The configuration of the sensors in the thermodynamic system was explored and their response to various positions of the heat source was investigated. When the distance of the heat source and its intensity from two thermodynamic sensors changes, the output signal of the thermodynamic system changes as well. Thus, as the distance of the heat source decreases or the intensity increases, there is a higher change in the output signal of the system. The linear trend of this change reaches an R² value of 0.936. Characteristics of the doughs prepared from traditional and non-traditional flours were successfully detected using the electronic nose. To validate findings, the results of the measurements were compared with signals from the rheofermentometer Rheo F4, and the correlation between the output signals was closely monitored. The data after statistical evaluation show that the measurements using thermodynamic sensors and electronic nose directly correlate the most with the measured values of the fermenting dough volume. Pearson’s correlation coefficient for TDSs and rheofermentometer reaches up to 0.932. The E-nose signals also correlate well with dough volume development, up to 0.973. The data and their analysis provided by this study declare that the used system configuration and methods are fully usable for this type of food analysis and also could be usable in other types of food based on the controlled fermentation. The system configuration, based on the result, will be also used in future studies.

This paper explores an application of 3D printing technology on the food industry. Since its inception in the 1980s, 3D printing has experienced a huge rise in popularity. This study uses cost-effective, flexible, and sustainable components that enable specific features of certain gas chromatography. This study aims to optimize the process of gas detection using a 3D printed separation column and the MiCS-6814 sensor. The principle of the entire device is based on the idea of utilizing a simple capillary chromatographic column manufactured by 3D printing for the separation of samples into components prior to their measurement using inexpensive chemiresistive sensors. An optimization of a system with a 3D printed PLA block containing a capillary, a mixing chamber, and a measuring chamber with a MiCS-6814 sensor was performed. The optimization distributed the sensor output signal in the time domain so that it was possible to distinguish the peak for the two most common alcohols, ethanol and methanol. The paper further describes some optimization types and their possibilities.

Inexpensive chemiresistive sensors are often insufficiently selective as they are sensitive to multiple components of the gas mixture at the same time. One solution would be to insert a device in front of the sensor that separates the measured gas mixture and possibly isolates the unwanted components. This study focused on the fabrication and characterization of a compact unit, which was fabricated by 3D printing, for the separation and detection of simple gas mixtures. The capillary, the basic part of the compact unit, was 4.689 m long and had a diameter of 0.7 mm. The compact unit also contained a mixing chamber on the inlet side and a measuring chamber with a MiCS-6814 sensor on the outlet side. Mixtures of ethanol and water at different concentrations were chosen for characterization. The measured calibration curve was found to have a reliability of R² = 0.9941. The study further addressed the elements of environmental friendliness of the materials used and their sustainability.