CHEMICAL AND MICROBIOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF MILKFISH CRACKERS (Chanos chanos): NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS AND PRODUCT QUALITY FOR INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS

Abstract

Milkfish (Chanos chanos) crackers are a processed fishery product with the potential to serve as a source of nutrition and offer numerous opportunities in the food industry. However, to ensure the nutritional value and safety of the product, its nutritional quality and product quality must be evaluated. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the chemical and microbiological properties of milkfish crackers, which were assessed thru nutritional analysis and product quality for industrial application. Nutritional analysis was conducted using proximate tests (moisture content, acid-insoluble ash content, and protein content) and microbiological tests (Escherichia coli and total plate count). The results obtained were: moisture content value of 3.12%; acid-insoluble ash content of 0.86%; and protein content of 12.52%. The total plate count was 4 x 101 colonies/gram, and the E. coli test showed < 3 APM/gram. Based on the research results, it shows that the nutritional quality and quality of milkfish (Chanos chanos) crackers already meet SNI 8272-2024, thus ensuring food safety for the industry.