Shrimp Paste Crackers as Potential Product Development for Small and Medium Enterprise (SMEs)

Abstract

There are many Small and Medium Enterprises processed food in the marine and fisheries sector in Central Java Province area, such as Demak Regency, Semarang City, and Pekalongan Regency. However, some business actors have not dared to innovate their products. Shrimp paste is one of the marine products that is processed by fermentation. Generally, shrimp paste is made from shrimp or small fish and is used as a spice in chilli sauce. The addition of shrimp paste to crackers is intended to increase its utilization as a marine product in the product development of Small and Medium Enterprises. This study aimed to determine the effect of adding shrimp paste on its chemical properties (moisture, protein, and fat content) and consumer acceptance through sensory testing. The ratio of tapioca flour and shrimp paste used in this study were 100: 0, 100: 5, 100: 10, and 100: 15. The results of the sensory analysis showed that the formulation with a ratio 100:15 was the most preferred formulation by the panellists. Based on the results of chemical analysis, the moisture content of crackers before and after frying 100:15 formulation ratio was 8.84% ± 0.14 and 1.85% ± 0.26. Fat and protein contents at 100:15 formulation ratio were 43.63% ± 4.23 and 1.67% ± 0.12 while those in the control were 26.46% ± 3.67 and 0.63% ± 0.70. Sensory evaluation data showed that consumer could accept this shrimp paste cracker as a potential food product.