Mixture Design Application on the Development of Mackerel Tuna (Euthynnus affinis) Snack Bars as Healthy Snacks

Abstract

The Indonesian government aims to reduce its stunting rate by 2024, with the specific target decreasing to 14%. Therefore, the development of a high-nutrition food formulation is essential to address this issue, including the introduction of a fish-flour-based snack bar. The objective of this study was to establish an optimal formulation of snack bar substitution with cob fish powder using a mixture design. The independent variables within the ingredient formula were the concentrations of granola, wheat flour, and mackerel fish flour. The formula deemed to have the highest level of acceptability by the panelists is identified as the selected formula. The parameters were analyzed using proximate, microbiological, and organoleptic tests. The data were statistically analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test and paired sample t-test using the SPSS software. The snack bar was chosen based on its hedonic response to the most preferred parameters of appearance, smell, taste, and texture, which included a snack bar formula consisting of 80% granola, 15% wheat flour, and 5% mackerel tuna flour. The nutritional value data for the snack bar products has been determined, including their protein content of 8.37%, carbohydrate content (by difference) of 76.32%, fat content of 0.75%, moisture content of 12.27%, ash content of 2.45%, and the absence of contaminants such as TPC <102 col/g, E. coli<3.0 APM/g, negative Salmonella, negative Staphylococcus aureus and mold<104 col/g. Snack bars, owing to their nutritional content, are an appropriate alternative to healthy snacks as they contain complex nutrients.