Development of Nutrient-Enriched Fish Pizza Incorporated with Pangasianodon hypophthalmus Surimi Powder and Its Quality Assessment

Introduction: Pizza is a popular fast food preferred among consumers of all age groups worldwide. However, its nutritional value is often limited by high carbohydrate content and low nutritional level. The incorporation of fish-based ingredients offers an effective approach to improve their nutritional quality and overall acceptability. Surimi powder prepared from Pangasianodon hypophthalmus possesses high-quality protein, making it a promising ingredient for the development of nutritious fish pizza. Therefore, the present study aimed to develop surimi-enriched fish pizza and evaluate its nutritional, textural, and sensory characteristics.

Methods: Surimi powder prepared from Pangasianodon hypophthalmus was incorporated into pizza dough at different levels (5%, 10%, and 15%) by replacing refined wheat flour. The sensory evaluation using a 9-point Hedonic scale identified the optimum formulation. Based on sensory evaluation, the optimized dough formulation was used to prepare fish pizza with conventional toppings and fish paneer. The developed products were analysed for proximate composition, texture profile analysis, and sensory quality using standard analytical procedures.

Results: The incorporation of surimi powder significantly influenced the quality of the developed pizza. Among the treatments, the 5% surimi level exhibited the highest sensory acceptability with desirable texture, flavour, and overall quality. The proximate analysis revealed a substantial increase in crude protein content from 10.85% to 18.46% in the control and fish pizza respectively. The texture profile analysis indicated an increase in hardness and chewiness. However, maintaining good palatability and consumer acceptability with a score of 8.2 on the 9-point Hedonic scale.

Conclusion: The incorporation of 5% surimi powder enhanced the protein content and nutritional value of fish pizza without compromising its textural and sensory acceptability. The developed fish pizza offers a value-added alternative to conventional pizza with promising commercial potential.