Nutritional and Sensory Optimization of Snakehead Fish (Channa striata) Floss Fortified with Moringa and Red Spinach

Abstract

Snakehead fish (Channa striata) is a protein-rich local resource with strong potential for development into functional foods. This study aimed to optimize the formulation of snakehead fish floss fortified with red spinach (Amaranthus tricolor) and moringa leaves (Moringa oleifera), and to evaluate its sensory acceptability among pregnant women as well as its nutritional composition. A Completely Randomized Design consisting of seven formulations, including an unfortified control, was applied. Sensory evaluation was conducted among 30 pregnant women using a five-point hedonic scale, and data were analyzed using Kruskal–Wallis and Friedman tests followed by Dunn–Bonferroni post-hoc comparisons. Nutritional analysis was performed using standard AOAC methods. Significant differences were observed among formulations for all sensory attributes (p < 0.001). The formulation fortified with 25 g of moringa leaves (F7) achieved the highest overall acceptability (mean score = 4.65), and Dunn–Bonferroni analysis confirmed that this formulation differed significantly from all other formulations (p < 0.05). F7 also exhibited the highest protein (29.46%), calcium (228.76 mg/100 g), and iron content (4.724 mg/100 g). These findings suggest that moringa-fortified snakehead fish floss is a nutrient-dense food product with high consumer acceptability and potential application as a food-to-food fortification strategy to support dietary nutrient intake among pregnant women. Further studies are needed to evaluate nutrient bioavailability, product stability, and potential health outcomes following regular consumption.