Physicochemical and sensory characteristics of pasta enriched with fish (Oreochromis niloticus) waste flour

Abstract

Five pasta formulations containing 0 (PTWF0), 6 (PTWF6), 12 (PTWF12), 17 (PTWF17), and 23 g/100 g (PTWF23) of tilapia-waste flour (TWF), and a commercial pasta were evaluated concerning physicochemical and sensory characteristics. TWF increased (p < 0.05) protein, lipid and ash levels, energy value, cooking loss (CL), redness, yellowness, chroma (C*), total color difference (ΔE), hardness, and chewiness, and decreased (p < 0.05) carbohydrate content, optimal cooking time (OCT), water absorption index (WAI), swelling index (SI), lightness, hue angle (H°), springiness, cohesiveness, and resilience. Considering PTWF0 and PTWF23, the results ranged between 8.44 and 18.38 g/100 g for protein, 1.88 and 4.94 g/100 g for lipid, 1.88 and 4.08 for redness, 19.24 and 28.45 for yellowness, 3.13 and 4.66 N for hardness, 1.75 and 3.01 N × mm for chewiness. PTWF0, PTWF6, PTWF12, PTWF17 and PTWF23 had 9.00, 9.30, 9.30, 7.30, 7.00 and 6.00 min of OCT, 97.30, 97.10, 96.19, 88.82, 85.41 and 83.02 g/100 g of WAI, 2.49, 2.53, 2.49, 2.23, 2.18 and 2.03 g water/g dry pasta of SI, and 2.43, 2.45, 2.51, 3.17, 3.69 and 4.06 g/100 g of CL, respectively. The addition of 12–23 g/100 g TWF resulted in a negative effect on sensory characteristics, such as color (darkening), texture (crumbly/brittle/grainy dough), aroma and flavor (fishy off-flavor), with consequent decrease in overall consumer acceptance. Despite these findings and considering a consumer rejection probability of 50%, a survival analysis revealed that TWF may be added to pasta at up to 11.10 and 11.34 g/100 g without compromising acceptance and purchase intention (p < 0.05), respectively. Thus, the addition of 6 g/100 g TWF improves product nutritional value without jeopardizing pasta quality attributes, representing a potential alternative for the bakery industry.