CHEMICAL COMPOSITIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SHELLFISH CRACKERS: REFERENCE TO PROXIMATE AND MINERAL PROFILES

Abstract

Crackers are ready to eat, convenient and inexpensive snacks. This study evaluated the proximate and mineral profiles of shellfish (crab and shrimp) as protein enrichment in crackers at a shellfish-to-cassava starch ratio of 50:50. The proximate composition showed that shrimp cracker had the higher contents of protein (24.19±0.72 %), fat (6.91±1.10 %) and carbohydrate (55.21±1.55 %) but lower total ash (11.32±0.22 %) compared to crab crackers, though the differences were not significant (P > 0.05). The total macro element was higher in crab crackers (971.61 mg 100g− 1) than in shrimp crackers (205.35 mg 100g−1). Furthermore, the values of calcium (21.01±0.12 mg 100g−1), phosphorus (50.27±1.41 mg 100g−1) and sodium (12.25±0.46 mg 100g−1) were significantly higher in crab crackers. The data presented in the study have demonstrated the nutritional suitability of shellfish for snack food items.