Development of High-Protein Bars using House Cricket and Stunted-farmed Tilapia Fish Powders for School-Going Children under Five Years in Uganda.

Abstract

The ongoing childhood undernutrition crisis in Uganda calls for the development of nutritious and convenient food products, particularly those aligned with the growing demand for healthy, ready-to-eat options. This study aimed to develop high-protein bars using cricket powder and stunted-farmed tilapia fish powder that will assist the school-going children below five years in Uganda to reach their recommended dietary requirements. Additional ingredients included malted maize flour, orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) flour, and fermented cassava flour (Gari), with honey (27%) and dates (10%) serving as binders. Nine formulations were generated using NutriSurvey2007 (SEAMEO-TROPMED RCCN-University of Indonesia) and NutriCal software and evaluated for proximate composition and sensory attributes to identify the most suitable formulation. The developed bars exhibited significantly high protein content, ranging from 21.4% to 28.7% (p < 0.05), indicating their potential in combating undernutrition. Fat content ranged from 8.2% to 12.6%, carbohydrates from 38.9% to 47.3%, and fiber from 2.1% to 3.8%, depending on the ingredient composition. Moisture content was consistent across all samples (11.3%–11.9%, p > 0.05). Sensory evaluation revealed no significant differences in taste, aroma, or texture (p > 0.05), though appearance and color varied significantly (p < 0.05). Despite these variations, all formulations achieved high overall acceptability, with scores ranging from 7.2 to 8.1 on a 9-point hedonic scale. These findings confirm the feasibility of developing nutrient-rich and sensory-acceptable high-protein bars from sustainable protein and carbohydrate sources. The bars present a viable strategy to address childhood undernutrition in Uganda, offering a practical, sustainably relevant, and ready-to-consume intervention.