Incorporating Cricket Powder into Salad Dressing: Enhancing Protein Content and Functional Attributes Through Partial Palm-Oil Replacement

This study investigated the potential of cricket powder (CP) as a sustainable ingredient to partially replace palm oil in salad dressing while enhancing its functional properties. Formulations containing 0%, 5%, 7.5%, and 10% CP combined with carrageenan, guar gum, and xanthan gum were prepared. Increasing CP levels significantly decreased lightness but enhanced redness and yellowness (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Emulsion stability was significantly affected by hydrocolloid type (<i>p</i> < 0.05), with guar gum showing the highest stability, further improved at higher CP levels. Rheological analysis indicated a typical shear-thinning behavior, with xanthan gum formulations showing the highest viscosity and viscoelasticity. Moreover, CP incorporation significantly increased total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC), enhancing antioxidant activity confirmed by DPPH and FRAP assays. E-nose and E-tongue analyses revealed that increasing CP enhanced umami intensity and altered aroma profiles. Overall, replacing part of the palm oil with 5-7.5% CP improved emulsion stability and increased bioactive content, suggesting its potential as a functional and more sustainable alternative to conventional oil-rich formulations. These benefits are primarily associated with reduced palm-oil usage and increased protein and antioxidant components, rather than a fully characterized improvement in fatty-acid composition.