Comprehensive assessment of ten edible insect species in Korea: Nutritional composition, flavour profiling, and sensory characteristics

To bridge sustainability potential and consumer acceptance, this study profiled ten edible insects approved or temporarily permitted in Korea, integrating nutritional, electronic-nose/electronic-tongue, and human sensory data to enhance utilization in the food system. Proximate composition and mineral content were analysed using standard procedures, including inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (ICP–MS). On a dry-weight basis, Japanese rhinoceros beetle larvae presented the highest protein content (35.4%), and drone pupae the highest fat content (60.2%). Japanese rhinoceros beetle larvae were rich in calcium, potassium, and iron, whereas two-spotted crickets contained relatively high phosphorus, sodium, and zinc; silkworm larvae had the highest magnesium, indicating potential as alternative mineral sources. Electronic nose profiling revealed species-specific volatile signatures: ethanol-dominant profiles in drone pupae and two-spotted crickets (alcoholic/sweet), buttery notes in rice grasshoppers (acetoin/diacetyl), nutty/earthy tendencies in silkworm larvae (propanal), acidic/vinegar-like notes in white-spotted flower chafer larvae (formic acid), onion-like characteristics in migratory locusts (1-propanethiol), and fusel/green notes in white muscardine silkworms (n-butanol). Electronic-tongue analysis revealed higher saltiness in Japanese rhinoceros beetle larvae and giant mealworm larvae, whereas drone pupae showed higher sourness and umami; yellow mealworm larvae had the lowest umami. In the human sensory panel (n = 60), drone pupae and yellow mealworm larvae received the highest preference, whereas Japanese rhinoceros beetle larvae and migratory locusts elicited greater aversion. These findings emphasize both nutritional value and sensory diversity of edible insects and offer guidance for selecting species and tailoring processing strategies to increase consumer acceptance of insect-based foods.