## 4 Conclusions  
The research proves that replacing wheat flour with yellow mealworm powder affects the physical, microbiological, and sensory characteristics of the obtained pates.  
The research has demonstrated that yellow mealworm powder can be utilized in the pate recipe as a partial substitute for wheat flour. The level of powdered insects introduced has also emerged as a significant factor influencing the alterations in the quality attributes of these products. As the amount of mealworm powder in the pate batters increased, the G\({}^{\prime}\) and G\({}^{\prime\prime}\) values also increased, indicating changes in the microstructure of pate batters. The pate batters with yellow mealworm powder showed a stronger weak gel than the control. However, in the case of the final product, the incorporation of yellow mealworm powder has been observed to significantly weaken the structure of the pates, resulting in a reduction in shear force and an increase in spreadability. This phenomenon is generally beneficial, as a soft structure of pates facilitates easier spreading on bread. Furthermore, the darker color of the pates prepared with yellow mealworm powder suggests the absence of preservatives used or the typical color of widely eaten pork pates, which could contribute to a greater willingness to reach for such a product.  
Considering the properties mentioned above and the sensory criterion, it may be concluded that substituting wheat flour with yellow mealworm powder at 2:1 is the most satisfying option. A higher level of wheat flour substitution is also possible, and it necessitates the incorporation of additional ingredients to mask any unpleasant sensory perceptions, such as a bitter flavor or lack of smoothness. Based on current research, it is impossible to completely eliminate wheat flour from the pate recipe using insect powder. To obtain a gluten-free product, further research would need to be conducted on using yellow mealworm powder and other gluten-free ingredients.  
Furthermore, further research should focus on controlling the allergenicity of such products due to the introduction of crustacean and mollusk allergens into the formulation, as well as studies involving consumer acceptance and the profiles of volatile compounds and fatty acids.  
Conceptualization, R.B. and D.P.; methodology, R.B., D.J., A.F. and K.S.; software, R.B., D.J. and K.S.; formal analysis, R.B., M.L., D.J., E.L., A.F. and K.S.; investigation, R.B., I.S., D.J., A.F., E.L. and K.S.; data curation, R.B., D.J. and K.S.; writing--original draft preparation, R.B., I.S., M.L., D.J., E.L., A.F. and K.S.; writing--review and editing, R.B., I.S. and D.P.; visualization,R.B., M.N. and D.P.; supervision, M.N. and D.P. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.  
The research for this publication was carried out with the use of research equipment purchased as part of the \"Food and Nutrition Centre--modernisation of the WULS campus to create a Food and Nutrition Research and Development Centre (CZiZ)\" co-financed by the European Union from the European Regional Development Fund under the Regional Operational Programme of the Mazowieckie Voivodeship for 2014-2020 (project no. RPMA.01.01.00-14-8276/17).  
Not applicable.  
The raw data are available upon request from the corresponding author.  
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.