The effect of adding Sacha-Inchi oil on the quality of omega-3-rich mocaf-based nastar for toddlers aged 1–5 years

Abstract

Nastar is a cookie popular among children and has the potential to serve as a medium for fortifying essential nutrients such as omega-3, which plays a role in supporting brain development, cognitive function, and visual health in toddlers. This study aims to determine the effect of adding sacha inchi oil on the quality of omega-3-rich mocaf flour-based nastar for toddlers aged 1–5 years. Mocaf flour is a gluten-free, high-fiber flour produced through the fermentation of cassava, while sacha inchi oil is a vegetable oil with a high content of omega-3 fatty acids. This study employed an experimental design using a completely randomized design (CRD) with three treatments: F1 (95% mocaf flour, 5% sacha inchi oil), F2 (90% mocaf flour, 10% sacha inchi oil), and F3 (87.5% mocaf flour, 12.5% sacha inchi oil). Data collection was conducted via organoleptic testing (color, aroma, taste, and texture) using a hedonic scale with 30 moderately trained panelists. The data were analyzed using an ANOVA test, which showed that the addition of sacha inchi oil had no significant effect (p > 0.05) on color, taste, aroma, and texture. It can therefore be concluded that the best formulation was obtained in treatment F3, which had the highest panelist preference and nutritional content. It is recommended that mocaf nastar with added sacha inchi oil be developed as a healthy, omega-3-rich snack alternative for toddlers, and further research is needed regarding shelf-life testing as well as a more specific analysis of DHA and EPA content.