Development of eel ball from eel (Monopterus albus)

Abstract

'Belut sawah' or swamp eel (Monopterus albus) still need more research and studies due to its medical value and could be introduced for commercialize. On the other hand, fish ball are those product based on fish or seafood that becoming popular among Malaysian. The purposes of these studies was to determine the proximate value, physical properties and sensory evaluation of fish ball which made with eel flesh (Monopterus albus) to meet the acceptance level. Eel flesh, wheat flour, sodium tripolyphosphate, sugar and salt was blended together with specific percentage ratio to prepared 4 formulation of eel ball; formulation 1 ( 100% eel flesh), formulation 2 (90% eel flesh), formulation 3 (80% eel flesh) and formulation 4 (70% eel flesh). All the research data was analyzed with SAS Programme (1997) to determine variance CANOVA) and to compare mean with Duncan's Multiple Range Test (DMRT). Due to these study conducted, result from moisture, ash, fat and protein content depend on the percentage ratio of eel flesh and wheat flour added. For the physical properties, eel ball color from formulation 4 was brightness then formulation 1. Eel flesh and wheat flour percentage ratio affected the value of color analysis whereas the higher percentage of eel flesh, the brightness of eel ball was decreased. Overall, eel ball that has been produced are greyish in color. No significant different (p>0.05) among eel ball color. For the texture of eel ball, higher percentage eel flesh would make eel ball tougher. From 60 panelists that involved in affective sensory evaluation that test on attribute such as color, smell, texture, taste, muddy flavor and overall acceptance, most of them likes eel ball from formulation 4 that contains 70% eel flesh.