Desenvolvimento de barra alimentícia híbrida à base de pescado e macroalga marinha

Abstract

The increasing demand for foods with high nutritional value, convenience, and alignment with contemporary trends in protein diversification has driven the development of innovative products. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a hybrid protein food bar formulated with Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fillet flour and the marine macroalgae Gracilaria domingensis, considering physicochemical, techno-functional, sensory, and consumer perception aspects. Initially, prior to the development of the bars, an exploratory stage was conducted with consumers to define concepts and expectations, using the focus group method and online application of the Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) method, involving 302 participants, with the aim of identifying expectations, perceptions, and relevant attributes associated with the product concept. The terms most frequently associated with the proposed bar were “nutrition” (78.1%), “health” (62.6%), and “convenience” (52.6%). Among the main consumption drivers, taste (92.1%), price (64.6%), and appearance (55.3%) were highlighted. Regarding expected characteristics, the attributes most frequently cited were “nutritious” (74.8%), “healthy” (71.9%), “without fishy odor” (49.7%), and “high in fiber” (47.7%). Subsequently, the raw materials were acquired, processed, and converted into flour for physicochemical and techno-functional characterization. Tilapia flour exhibited high protein content (73.65 g·100 g−1), whereas G. domingensis flour presented 15.28 g·100 g−1 protein, high water absorption capacity (941.11%), and gel formation at concentrations as low as 4%, demonstrating functional complementarity between the ingredients. Based on these results, five hybrid food bar formulations were developed and subsequently evaluated by 80 consumers using CATA, a 9-point hedonic scale, the Just-About-Right (JAR) scale, and purchase intention analysis. No statistically significant differences were observed among formulations (p > 0.05). Sensory profiling highlighted fish aroma (5.96–6.52), fish flavor (4.67–4.99), soft texture (3.71–5.07), and sandy/grainy residual perception (4.81–5.70). In the JAR evaluation, fish odor (2.13–2.29) and sandy/grainy perception (2.05–2.16) were considered above the ideal level, whereas compact texture and flavor showed values closer to the ideal. In the hedonic evaluation, appearance achieved the highest scores (6.21–6.51), followed by flavor (6.03–6.32) and overall impression (6.08–6.37), indicating acceptance between “liked slightly” and “liked moderately.” Aroma (4.76–4.87), texture (4.81–5.03), and residual sensations (4.27–4.53) remained close to neutrality. Penalty analysis indicated a negative effect of attributes such as fish aroma (−3.7500), adhesiveness (−1.9028), and sandy/grainy residual perception (−1.1091), whereas softness (+0.2527) contributed positively to acceptance. Purchase intention scores ranged from 2.96 to 3.03 on a 5-point scale, with predominance of intermediate responses. The results are promising and indicate market potential, provided that sensory attributes, particularly odor and texture, are improved, in addition to further studies involving technological optimization.