International Journal of Aquaculture, 2018, Vol.8, No.7, 43-52
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Fish powder is one type of fish and fishery product with concentrated protein content than in fresh fish
(Khoshkhoo et al., 2010). Many scholars have been done a research on it, due to its great applications on different
food products and importance towards human being. A lot of agricultural food products, such as biscuit, ice cream
can be fortified with fish powder to increase protein content and to improve flavor, taste and nutritive value. Netto
et al. (2014) and Shaviklo (2015) reported that fish is a rich animal protein source with high nutritive value,
consumption of them can meet many nutritive requirements of body and is useful to improve human health at
large. Fish powder contains high levels of essential amino acids such as lysine, high methionine and cysteine
content and a high digestibility and biological value compared to grain products which are the typical base for
most animal feeds. It is also a good source of minerals, such as phosphorous (P), calcium (Ca), copper (Cu), iron
(Fe), and vitamins (Elpida et al., 2007).
Venugopal et al. (1996) observed in the investigation that fish powder is a stable product with low moisture
content that can has a maximum storage life of one year at 10°C without loss of nutritional qualities and to some
extent at ambient temperature. Several studies has been done on the nutritional content of fish powder and
reported that adding fish powder to diets has significant effect. Akhade et al. (2016) reported that use of this
product is especially beneficial for children and pregnant women. Murueta et al. (2007) recommended that fish
powder can be used as a supplementary protein to increase nutritive value, as it contains high protein content.
Fish powder, fish protein concentrate and fish protein powder are made by process that concentrate fish protein
from whole fish or fillet and other parts into a more stable form. As a form of a low cost animal protein, they can
supplement agricultural products, cereals, and vegetable proteins very effectively. Added in low concentrations
they can clearly improve the nutritive value of different common food and food products by adding certain
essential amino acids deficient in proteins (Jeyasanta et al., 2013).
Rhee et al. (2004) clearly stated that widely consumed food products are cereal products that contain low protein
and high carbohydrates. Akhtar et al. (2015) and Veronica et al. (2006) mentioned in that fortification of cereal
products with fish products, fish powder, which are rich in protein can increase their nutritional value. Barbut and
Mittal (1995) reported that fish can be added into cereal products to increase protein content and improve
nutritional value, as an excellent source of protein and key minerals and vitamins.
The level of supplement fish product (fish powder) with cereal products have significant role on the sensory
characteristics of enriched product despite increasing the nutritional value of product. Singh et al. (2014) and
Shaviklo (2015) stated that the level of enrichment can affect acceptance and sensory properties of the product
such as flavor and odor. Therefore, appropriate incorporation level is recommended at any circumstance to meet
the desired objective and satisfy consumers need.
Vanugopal (2005) reported that nutritive value of cereal proteins can be increased when fortified with fish protein
powder. It was found 12.4% of protein after adding 3% of fish protein powder in to cereal wheat flour with 10.4%
protein content. However, several researchers have done enrichment of cereal products with fish protein and
successful results were obtained. Fortification of puffed corn snack (Shaviklo et al., 2011a), ice cream (Shaviklo
et al., 2011b), bread (Adeleke and Odedeji, 2010), biscuits (Ibrahim, 2009), mayonnaise (Sathivel et al., 2005),
crackers (Huda et al., 2001) with fish protein powder have been done.
Shaviklo et al. (2013) studied storage stability and nutritional quality of cutlet fortified with 30% of fish protein
powder. Nutritive quality of the product was improved and there were no changes in chemical, biochemical and
sensory attributes during storage period of six months. Hussain et al. (2007) reported that incorporation 10% of
fish protein powder in to weaning food can result superior quality and concluded that it could be an ideal source of
protein for enriching the weaning food.
Bearing in mind the significance of fish powder, it is a valuable supplement to improve the nutritional values of
fortified food, particularly biscuit for children and other diets for vulnerable group. Sen (2005) and Shaviklo
(2015) have noticed that children who feed a diet fortified with fish protein powder showed significant increase
