Development of Ready-to-Use Seafood-Based Food Products in Bangladesh and Their Potential Role in Food and Nutritional Security

Abstract:

Background: Inadequate dietary diversity is a major cause of malnutrition in Bangladesh. To tackle the global issue of malnutrition, we must shift our focus from the quantity of food consumed to the quality of that food. Seafood (fish, shellfish, and seaweed) is better for fighting malnutrition than other foods since it has up to 75% more long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and more minerals and vitamins. Seafood has great potential as ready-to-eat (RTE) food due to its availability in retail stores, the rise of dual-career families, health and safety guarantees, and a healthy alternative to junk food for children and adults are all creating a market viability for such products. Objective: Developing seafood-based ready-to-eat (RTE) food products for seafood and the nutritional security of the nation by involving various stakeholders. Materials and methods: On the basis of a nutrition-sensitive value chain designed for newly developed food products (Peña et al., 2018), and considering food nutrition and security (FNS) criteria, nutritional profile, seasonality, and local availability, seaweed species and marine fish species (sardines and anchovies) was selected for the development of Seafood-based ready-to eat foods in three forms: fish powder-based, seaweed powder-based, and mixed powder-based. Consumers’ preferences (Krieger et al., 2003, Van et al., 2005) of the developed ready-to-eat (RTE) seafood products were recorded through a questionnaire evaluating each criterion by a five-point Likert-type scale on sensory characteristics (appearance, smell, taste, color, and texture) and market preferences (willingness to buy from the market and inspire others, interest to buy as ready-to-eat, comparative nutritional importance and price) in order to evaluate ready to-use seafood-based food products. Results and Discussion: The study was conducted through a survey of 659 respondents whose mean age was 25.05 years with a standard deviation of 6.857 years. The mean score of the Likert-scale assessment and the significant variability among the recipes for each assessment criterion (based on the mean rank score) demonstrated a significant association (P-value < 0.05) between RTU seafood products (fish powder-based, mixed powder-based, and seaweed powder-based recipes) and sensory indicators (Appearance, taste, and color). Yet, the same seafood products do not affect flavor and texture (P-value>0.05). And also, a significant association (P-value < 0.05) between these RTE products and each market preferences criterion. The results of the average panel test ratings for sensory attributes and marketing preference test indicate that the mixed powder-based product had the best overall sensory qualities (texture, appearance, taste, and flavor) and market preferences for each indicator the majority of consumers (40.8%) preferred prices between 100 and 149 BDT per 100g of Fish and Seaweed powder. Specifically, consumers were significantly more interested in products containing fish powder than other products. Conclusion: Seafood-based RTE food products can be an optimal combination for creating and developing nutrient-rich fish and seaweed-based products in order to commence the establishment of a sustainable marketing channel by maximizing the usage of marine resources.