ABSTRACT
The research aims to produce a local Pemberian makanan tambahan (PMT) biscuit formula that is nutritious, acceptable and has a good shelf life. Experimental research with RAL design used two factors and two treatments, namely the addition of anchovy flour (20% and 30%) and moringa leaf flour (20% and 30%) to 100 g of corn flour. The research was conducted in April–November 2022 with an analysis of nutritional content, and acceptability. Data were processed using SPSS with a statistical test One Way analysis of variance Test. The results of the analysis showed that the P4 product had a higher nutritional content difference, namely: 17.976 g of protein; fat 20.106 g; carbohydrates 60.644 g; minerals 3.632 μg; water content 3.999 aw; and energy 490.9 kcal with acceptance scores: Like-really like for 7 days at room temperature without standard packaging. Each serving portion for children of 2 pieces of biscuits or as much as 25 g/day gets a protein nutritional intake of 2.26 g or 11.3% of the Recommended dietary allowance (RDA); Fat of 2.66 or 5.9% of the RDA; Carbohydrates are 14.3 or 6.7% of the RDA and Energy is 615.23 kcal or 45.6% of the RDA. Product combination of 100 g of corn flour; 20 g of moringa flour; and 20 g of anchovy flour into the local therapeutic food “Iman” biscuit formulation which is very popular.
Keywords: Biscuit products, local therapeutic food, malnutrition
INTRODUCTION
Handling the problem of malnutrition in children under five can be done through diversified efforts to develop additional food formulas by taking into account nutritional aspects, acceptability, durability, and the advantages of local food resources.[1] East Nusa Tenggara Province has many types of local foods that are rich in nutritional content including corn, moringa leaves, and anchovies. The Corn (Zea mays L) are processed more traditionally and used as staple food with nutritional content.[2] Moringa leaves (Moringan oleifera) contain many nutrients and are always available in abundant quantities.[3] However, people still use it more as a hedge plant than consuming it. In fact, this type of vegetable can be used as an alternative food to overcome nutritional problems (malnutrition).[4] Anchovy (Stolephorus sp) is a type of fish product that has advantages in terms of nutritional content and availability at affordable prices.[5] Considering the aspect of the availability of the three types of food which are abundant and rich in nutrients but not optimally utilized. The researchers tried to make the local therapeutic food (LTF) biscuit formula with a combination of the three types of local food as an alternative product for LTF in preventing and overcoming malnutrition problems in the dry land areas of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Indonesia. Furthermore, this LTF biscuit product is given a name Iman Biscuits or a combination: Ikan, Moringa, JAgung dan Gula LoNtar.
Many biscuit formulas have been made but mostly use vegetable-based ingredients.[6] In general, biscuits are rich in energy, especially from sources of carbohydrates and fat with a crunchy and delicious texture. The study’s rationale emphasizes the importance of utilizing local resources to address malnutrition, which is a significant problem in many areas, particularly in developing countries like Indonesia. Overall, this research provides a new approach to addressing the problem of malnutrition by utilizing local resources and creating a new product that is both nutritious and acceptable to the local population. The research aims to produce a local PMT biscuit formula that is nutritious, acceptable, and has a good shelf life.
METHODS
This study was an experimental study with a completely randomized design using two factors and two treatments, namely the addition of Engraulis spp flour (20% and 30%) and moringa leaf flour (20% and 30%) to 100 g of corn flour. The product combinations are P1: 100 g of corn flour; 30 g of moringa flour; 30 g of Engraulis spp flour. P2: 100 g of corn flour; 30 g of moringa flour; 20 g of Engraulis spp flour; P3: 100 g of corn flour; 20 g of moringa flour; 30 g of Engraulis spp flour; P4: 100 g of corn flour; 20 g of moringa flour; and 20 g of Engraulis spp flour.
The research was conducted in April–November 2022. The acceptability test or level of preference for LTF biscuit products used the Hedonic test and the quality test used an organoleptic test with semi-trained panelists, namely 30 students from the Faculty of Public Health, University of Nusa Cendana and 30 children under 5 years. Analysis of nutrient content was carried out using the Proximate test, including crude fat, crude protein, carbohydrates, energy, water content, and ash content at the Bionutrition Laboratory, Faculty of Animal Husbandry and Marine Affairs, University of Nusa Cendana. Data were processed using SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, SPSS Inc) with a statistical test One Way analysis of variance test with a significant level of P < 0.05.
RESULTS
The nutritional content of “Iman” local therapeutic food biscuits
Table 1 shows that product P4 has a higher difference in nutritional content, namely: protein 17.98 g; fat 20.11 g; carbohydrates 60.64 g; minerals 3.632 μg; water content 3.999 aw, and energy 490.9 kcal.
Table 1.
The results of the analysis of the nutritional content of the “Iman” local therapeutic food biscuit
| Product | Protein | Fat | Carbohydrate | Ash content | Water content | Energy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P1 | 14.85±1.10a | 21.02±0.20ac | 57.45±1.19b | 3.91±0.12b | 4.77±1.10b | 478.3±0.37a |
| P2 | 15.51±1.53b | 20.98±0.75a | 59.46±0.51ac | 4.05±0.22ab | 4.69±1.22ac | 488.7±1.33b |
| P3 | 17.69±1.00ab | 21.28±0.33ab | 57.22±1.11b | 3.81±0.13b | 5.64±0.11ab | 491.2±1.20ab |
| P4 | 17.98±1.21ac | 20.11±0.23a | 60.64±1.00ab | 3.63±0.62ab | 3.99±1.02a | 490.9±1.06ac |
**The highest nutritional content
Acceptability and quality of “Iman” local therapeutic food biscuits
Information
Score of organoleptic test value and shelf life: 1 = Dislike very much, 2 = Dislike very much, 3 = Rather like, 4 = Like, 5 = Like very much
Quality score: Observation results up to the 14th day for all products (score: 1–5).
Table 2 shows that the panelists, both adults and children under five, said they liked the color and really liked the aroma, texture, and taste of the P4 product.
Table 2.
Average acceptance test results and quality of “Iman” local therapeutic food biscuit products
| Product | Organoleptic test components | Quality | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| |||||
| Color | Aroma | Texture | Taste | ||
| P1 | 3.96±1.23b | 3.73±1.00a | 4.00±0.31b | 3.76±0.22a | 1±0.33a |
| P2 | 3.76±1.10a | 3.90±0.23b | 3.53±1.21a | 4.00±0.12ac | 2.67±0.31b |
| P3 | 3.22±0.13a | 3.37±1.11a | 3.33±0.32a | 3.69±0.91b | 2±1.0b |
| P4 | 4.00±1.22ab | 4.97±1.52ab | 5.00±0.13ab | 5.00±1.00ab | 3±1.33ab |
Giving “Iman” local therapeutic food biscuits to children under 5-year-old
Table 3 shows that the treatment of giving LTF “Iman” biscuits was significantly different in increasing the weight of children during the 12 days of treatment by 0.74 kg/child before and after giving LTF “Iman” biscuits. Each serving portion for children is 2 pieces of biscuits or as much as 25 g/day. From the proportion of 25 g a day, a child gets 2.26 g of protein nutrition, equivalent to 11.3% of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA); Fat of 2.66 or the equivalent of 5.9% of the RDA; Carbohydrates of 14.3 or the equivalent of 6.7% of the RDA and Energy of 615.23 kcal or the equivalent of 45.6% of the RDA [Table 4].
Table 3.
The results of measuring the body weight of children under five who were given “Iman” local therapeutic food biscuits
| Starting body weight (kg) | Final body weight (kg) | Body weight increase (kg) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mean±SD | 9.93±1.454636 | 10.67±1.692203 | 0.74±0.597466 |
| Minimum | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| Maximum | 12.4 | 13 | 1.9 |
SD: Standard deviation, BB: Body weight
Table 4.
Contribution of the nutritional content of “Iman” local therapeutic food biscuits
| Nutrient content | Nutritional content per serving | The recommended nutritional adequacy rate (RDA) for children aged 6 months–3 years | Nutrition adequacy rate (RDA) for children aged 6 months–3 years contribution to RDA (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein (g) | 2.26 | 20 | 11.3 |
| Fat (g) | 2.66 | 45 | 5.9 |
| Carbohydrate (g) | 14.3 | 215 | 6.7 |
| Energy (kcal) | 615.23 | 1.350 | 45.6 |
RDA: Recommended dietary allowance
DISCUSSION
Nutritional content of “Iman” local therapeutic food biscuits
The results of the analysis of the nutritional content of the LTF “Iman” biscuit product P4 along with the nutritional content standards for the PMT-P children’s biscuits according to Permenkes No. 51 of 2016 concerning nutritional supplementation product standards indicate that there is an effect of substitution of anchovy flour, moringa leaf flour, and corn flour on the energy content, protein, fat, carbohydrates, water content, ash content, iron and calcium in the “Iman” LTF biscuit. The LTF “Iman” biscuit product P4 has a lower water content than the SNI-2973-2018 biscuit quality standard, which is a maximum of 5%. This is in accordance with the results of the organoleptic analysis of the quality of the biscuits. It is known that the LTF biscuit “Iman” product P4 is still well received.
The results of the analysis show that product P2 has a higher ash content than products P1, and P3–P4. However, the ash content produced from all biscuit treatments (P1–P4 products) in this study was higher (3%–4%) than the SNI 01-2973-1992 biscuit quality requirements, which is a maximum of 1.5%. The high ash content of “Iman” LTF biscuits is beneficial from a nutritional point of view because most of the anchovy flour and moringa leaf flour contain the element calcium needed by the body. The energy in the LTF “Iman” biscuit fluctuated from P1 to P4, where there was a significant difference between the control biscuit and the substitution of anchovy flour and moringa flour. The energy in the biscuit is influenced by the content of protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Even though the energy content of P1–P3 products is lower, all biscuit formulations are included in high-energy-density foods because they have an energy content >2.25–2.75 kcal/g.
Product P4 had the highest crude protein content in “Iman” LTF biscuits (17.976 g) from products 1 to 3. The results of this study are in accordance with the results of previous studies which concluded that the more additions to the composition of anchovy flour and moringa flour would affect the increase in protein content or macronutrients.[7] The P4 had a higher crude fat content in “Iman” LTF biscuits than P1-P3. The fat content of the two biscuit product treatments produced in this study met the SNI 01-2973-1992 biscuit quality requirements, namely at least 9.5%.[8] This is because the high-fat content in Faith biscuits is influenced by the composition of other ingredients outside of raw materials, namely margarine and eggs, in 100 g margarine has a fat content of 8 g and eggs have a fat content of 27 g.[9] Previous studies have found research results from the fat content of the biscuits produced is 21.99%, whereas according to SNI, the minimum fat content in biscuits is 9.5%.[10]
Carbohydrates in food are nutrients that quickly supply energy as fuel for the body, especially when the body is hungry. The results showed that product P4’s “Iman” LTF biscuits had a higher carbohydrate nutrient content than P1–P3 products. However, the carbohydrate content of the four treatments of the “Iman” LTF biscuit product resulting from this study fulfilled the SNI 01-2973-1992 biscuit quality requirements, namely a minimum of 70%.
Acceptability and quality of “Iman” local therapeutic food biscuits
Table 2 shows that the LTF “Iman” biscuit product P4 has better acceptability than the other three products. Even so, the four products were still well received by the panelists. The color of the P1–P4 biscuits produced was bright brown and was liked by all the panelists. This brown color is produced from the Maillard reaction between the amino acid lysine which is high in soybeans and the reducing sugar group.[11] Biscuit aroma has the highest level of preference in the score of 5, meaning it really likes the P4 product compared to the other three products. There is a striking aroma of palm sugar and vanilla which is a sensory characteristic of one of the local foods, namely ant sugar from a food source of palm sugar. The taste preference test for biscuits has a higher preference score for the P4 product, which is very fond of it compared to the other three products. The addition of palm sugar composition so that it can improve the taste of the biscuits. Faith Biscuits can be used as an alternative product for LTF in the context of preventing and overcoming the problem of malnutrition in the dry land areas of NTT Indonesia. The types of local food ingredients used are corn flour, moringa flour, anchovy flour, and ant sugar flour.
Giving “Iman” local therapeutic food biscuits to children
The LTF “Iman” biscuit is one of the local PMT products as an alternative effort to be food self-sufficient to support the acceleration of stunting reduction. The natural resources in the Flobamorata region can be optimized as a local PMT product in the form of “Iman” LTF biscuits which are rich in nutrition compared to the national PMT,[11,12,13,14] and safe to be consumed by malnourished children.[11,15] Efforts made in the context of optimizing local PMT products are replacing protein-sourced foodstuffs such as full-cream milk and egg yolks with local foodstuffs such as anchovy flour and moringa leaf flour as sources of animal and vegetable protein as well as obtaining natural sources of calcium and iron. The increase in acceptability of biscuits was carried out by adding the amount of vanilla and cinnamon powder to a limit acceptable to the panelists to reduce the fishy smell of anchovies in the “Iman” LTF biscuit. Thus, supplementary feeding (PMT) is a program that needs to be supported because it aims to improve the health and nutritional status of infants and children, ensure that children grow and develop according to their age, and in particular prevent stunting.
CONCLUSION
Product P4 with a composition of 20% moringa flour and 20% anchovy flour has a higher nutritional content compared to products P1–P3. This product is also more acceptable and of better quality, based on the panelists’ responses. The LTF “Iman” biscuit program can contribute to weight gain in BATITA children, with an average increase of 0.74 kg/child after 12 days of treatment. Each serving portion of 25 g/day can provide significant amounts of protein, fat, carbohydrates, and energy, which can contribute to meeting the recommended daily allowance for children under 3 years of age.
Ethical approvals
This research has passed an ethical review issued by the Health Research Ethics Commission, Public Health Faculty, Nusa Cendana University with number: 2022133-KEPK.
Financial support and sponsorship
This research was supported by a superior development research grant at Nusa Cendana University with research contract number: 214/UN15.19/LT/2022.
Conflicts of interest
There are no conflicts of interest.
Acknowledgment
We would like to thank the Chancellor of Nusa Cendana University, the Research and Community Service Institute of Nusa Cendana University, the Nutrition Laboratory of the Faculty of Animal Husbandry, Nusa Cendana University, Regional Leaders of Rote Ndao and Kupang Regencies, Heads of Community Health Centers and heads of Ba’a and Sumlili Villages, and All Panelists and related families.
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