Salted crackers added with surimi fish and powdered tomato: Acceptability in school feeding

Abstract

This study aimed to develop a salted cracker added with surimi fish and powdered tomato and to verify their acceptability in school feeding. Using the Rotational Central Composite Design (RCCD), 11 formulations of crackers were tested, with different percentages of surumi from dehydrated Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and powdered tomato, which were physically characterized. The two formulations with the best results in the physical analyzes, along with a control formulation were evaluated for centesimal composition, microbiological analysis, sensorial analysis and amino acid profile. The results were submitted to normality and variance analysis, Tukey test, multiple regression and response surface. The selected formulations, formulation 1 (10% surimi + 15% powdered tomato) and formulation 2 (13% surimi + 13% powdered tomato) displayed protein enrichment, when compared to the control formulation, with an increase in the amino acids profile. All formulations obtained < 3 MPN/g of coliforms at 45 °C and could be submitted to sensorial analysis, which obtained results varying between indifferent and liked, showing that both formulations are feasible for production. However, formulation 2, because it contains the highest protein and lipid content, is the one that best suits to the employment in school feeding.