Musselicious Bildat Kropek: An Input to New Product Development (NPD) Of Locally Harvested Bildat (Freshwater Mussel) Of Cagayan

The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate Bildat Kropek, a snack rich in protein with cultural roots that used powdered Hyriopsis sp. (Bildat), a freshwater mussel found in Cagayan, Philippines. Three different formulations were made, formulation 1 containing (45g powdered bildat), formulation 2 (90g powdered bildat), and formulation 3 (135 powdered bildat). A shrimp kropek available on the market was used as the control. Forty participants utilized a 9-point hedonic scale for evaluating appearance, aroma texture, taste, and overall acceptability. Formulation 1 (45g) was the most preferred, obtaining highest scores in taste (7.80), texture (7.65), and overall acceptability (7.55). Its aroma score (6.85) was comparable to Formulation 3 and the control. Additionally, the proximate analysis of the best formulation (45 g powdered bildat) found that it contains 7.25% protein, 28.23% fat, 0.78% fiber, 5.99% moisture, and 2.62% ash. The nutrition facts based on the result of proximate analysis stated that a 36.6g serving had 185 kcal, 10g of fat, 3g of protein, and 20g of carbohydrates. Moreover, microbial examinations confirmed that the levels of yeast, mold, and coliform were within FDA limits. Bildat Kropek is much healthier and offers competitive sensory appeal compared to commercially available kropek. Additionally, it supports the sustainable use of underutilized freshwater resources.