DEVELOPMENT OF SQUID JERKY SNACK MORINGA FLAVOR

Squid is abundant in Agno, Pangasinan, Philippines. During the pandemic, several squids were rotten because the community does not have the technology to process the squid. With this, the researchers came up with the idea to process the squid by creating a squid jerky snack flavored with moringa. The jerky snack shall be nutritious with its moringa flavor. Moringa was identified as a superfood. Moringa oleifera is a plant that is often called the drumstick tree, the miracle tree, and the ben oil tree. Moringa has been used for centuries due to its medicinal properties and health benefits. It also has antifungal, antiviral, antidepressant, and anti-inflammatory properties. The tree is native to India but also grows in Asia, Africa, and South America. Moringa contains a variety of proteins, vitamins, and minerals. Moringa contains many healthful compounds such as vitamin A, vitamin B1 (thiamin), B2 (niacin), B6, folate and ascorbic acid (vitamin C), calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc. It is also extremely low in fats and contains no harmful cholesterol (DR Wilson, 2020). Due to the popularity and many health benefits of moringa and the abundant supply of squid, different variants evolved from the usual port ingredient of processed squid. One of them is Squid Jerky Snack flavored with Moringa. It is a dried, seasoned, and ready-to-eat seafood product, made from squid. The Squid Jerky Snack shall be nutritious with its moringa flavor. The researchers aim to develop Squid Jerky Snack flavored with moringa, serving as an alternative or innovation to usual beef jerky. Unlike beef jerky, Squid Jerky is healthier, more nutritious, and inexpensive compared to beef, to be able to create a livelihood for the people of Pangasinan, and to be able to maximize the utilization of Squid, the researchers came up with the idea of creating an innovative product Squid Jerky Snack flavored with moringa which will be liked by many. This study covers the essential aspects of developing Squid Jerky Snack flavored with moringa in terms of the product description, ingredients, procedure, and tools and equipment needed in its preparation. Also, this will investigate the acceptability of the sensory quality of Squid Jerky Snack flavored with moringa in terms of taste, aroma, texture, and overall acceptability. The study was conducted on selected tourists and residents of Agno, Pangasinan, and the faculty and staff of Pangasinan State University – Asingan Campus.