Airborne Ultrasound-Assisted Infrared Drying of Yellow Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) Larvae: Nutritional Changes and Process Optimization Using Response Surface Method

Abstract
This research aims to evaluate the effect of air temperature, irradiation distance, and sonication time on dry characteristics of yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor L.) in an infrared dryer (IRD). The design of the drying experiments, which shows the relationship between the input and output variables, was conducted by the response surface method (RSM). The results showed that decreasing irradiation distance, increasing air temperature, and sonication time led to decreasing drying time and specific energy consumption (SEC). The minimum and maximum total color changes were 13.37 and 29.57, respectively. The changes in rehydration ratio (RR) of the samples increased with increasing temperature and sonication time but decreased with increasing irradiation distance, while the results were opposite for ash. The highest amount of protein and the lowest amount of fat were obtained at 70°C temperature, sonication time (30 min), and irradiation distance (15 cm), respectively. The best conditions for drying yellow mealworm include the use a temperature of 70°C, a sonication time of 25.95 min, and an irradiation distance of 11.32 cm, and by applying the optimal conditions for drying time, SEC, color, RR, fat, protein, and ash of the produced dry yellow mealworm are equal to 171.22 min, 61.45 MJ/kg, 14.28, 1.83, 29.09%, 48.13%, and 3.79%, respectively.

Author
Mohammad Kaveh

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.70476

ISSN
1750-3841

Publish Date: 22-Jul-2025