Production and Evaluation of Fortified Snack Food Extrudate With Fish Flour

Abstract

A formula containing rice flour, powdered Nile Perch fish flour, turmeric and fine salt was extruded. Extrusion processing was used to produce a new value-added food with enhanced nutritional and sensory properties using single-screw extruder. Microbiological and nutritional quality assessment was performed for the snack food product. Whereas protein, essential amino acids are important for growth and the micro elements for the Iron and Zinc deficiency which are highly prevalent among young children in Egypt. Fish is excellent source of lipid that contains n-3 faty acids. Accurate ratios of Nile perch fish flour by 10 and 12.5% were used in formulae. The study of functional properties of the product had proved that the extruded product gained good characteristics (proper density, expansion ratio, breaking strength, taste and color) and was acceptable to feed by consumer. Obtained results proved that both fish flour ratios were proper; only use the proportion of 10% of the fish was better in terms of smell and taste as well as a chemical assessment was appropriate and results showed high proportion of protein to 20.6%. The total amino acids were 16.68 g/100g sample. The microbiological evaluations proved the validity of such products and free of pathogenic microbes such as Salmonella, Bacillus cereus, and Staphylococcus aureus. Macro elements such as calcium gave 1.93 g/100g sample while it was 0.89 g/100g sample for phosphorus and 22.5 ppm for iron; heavy metals did not exceed the allowable limits by Egyptian Standards Specifications2005. Finally results indicated that it is possible to produce a highly acceptable snack of high nutritional quality that could be useful in feeding programs to counteract anemia and malnutrition in under developed countries.