Application of Acheta domesticus powder in food: impact on sensory, rheological, and functional properties

• Sensory characteristics of cricket flour products affect consumer acceptance. • Color masking and flavor tuning improve insect-based food acceptance. • Cricket flour alters technological and rheological characteristics. • ≤10 % cricket flour ensures better sensory quality in diverse food matrices. In recent years, house cricket powder has gained attention in the European market as an innovative food ingredient due to its rich nutritional content and low environmental impact. Crickets are rich in protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals, making them a promising alternative protein source in the food industry. This study reviews 48 studies on the effects of Acheta domesticus powder on the sensory, rheological, and functional properties of food products, including meat, pasta, bread, biscuits, cookies, pancakes, snacks, crackers, muffins, and complementary foods like porridge . The studies evaluated substitution levels of cricket powder ranging from 1 % to 75 %. The primary outcomes revealed that substituting with cricket powder increases protein, fat, and micronutrient content while lowering carbohydrate levels and reducing the glycemic index of the products. Despite these benefits, high levels of cricket powder substitution may negatively affect the products' physicochemical, functional, rheological and sensory properties, thus reducing consumer acceptance. Future research should focus on improving the taste, texture, and overall quality of cricket powder-based foods to enhance consumer acceptance and facilitate broader integration of insect-based ingredients into the food market.