FORTIFICATION OF RED SEAWEED (Kappaphycus alvaresii) FLOUR IN SNACK BAR FORMULATION AS AN EVALUATION OF IODINE CONTENT AND TEXTURE IMPROVEMENT

Abstract

Consumer interst in pratical, nutrient-dense funcional foods has prompted the devolopment of healthy snack alternatives from local raw materials. The read seaweed Kappaphycus alvarezii shows promise as a fortiying ingredient, not only for its iodine content and physical texture, but also its moisture profile and overall influence on the snack bar’s sensory traits. To evaluate this potential, a completely randoomized design was set up across four treatments-a seaweed-free control, and three others fortified with seaweed flour at 10%, 20%. And 30%. The evaluation parameters covered moisture, iodine, hardness, and a hedonic sensory test with 25 semi-trainet panelists. Chemical and texture data were subjected to ANOVA followed by Duncan’s test, while sensory scores underwent Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn’s analyses. Ouf findings revealead that the 30% level produced the highest iodine reading, at 60,93 µg/g. Moisture content dropped sharply (p<0,05) from 17.53% in the control to 12.53% in the 30% treatment-although this still slightly exceeds the 11.26% cap set by SNI 01-4216-1996. Hardness readings ranged from 4333.74 to 4588.68 gf, which falls well within the typical span of commercial snack bars. In terms of sensory response, seaweed inclusion markedly affected color, aroma, and texture, but did not significantly alter taste scores. Overall, the 10% seaweed formulation stood out as the best, yielding higher iodine than the control, maintaining an acceptable mouthfeel, and earning the highest panelist preference. Taken together, these results position this particular formulation as a viable candidate for a functional food product aimed specifically at boosting dietary iodine intake.