Abstract:
Goldstripe Sardinella (Sardinella gibbosa) and green seaweeds (Ulva fasciata) are underutilized
sea food sources but can be used to food value-additions based on their’ nutritional importance,
abundance, and cost effectiveness. The objective of this study was to develop dry powders from
both sources, fish powder (FP) and Ulva powder (UP), together as potential functional food
ingredients for the food industry as a solution for malnutrition in the local community. Dry fish
(Sardinella gibbosa) was collected from Rathgama harbor and fresh Ulva fasciata seaweed was
collected from Thalaramba, Matara. The cleaned dry fishes were washed and sundried for 1 h
before being oven dried at 120 ± 5°C for 30 min. Fresh seaweeds were cleaned, washed,
dewatered, and dried overnight (8 h) at 60 ±5°C. Both dried samples were pulverized to fine
particles, sieved, and stored in adequately sealed polypropylene bags at 4 °C, separately. Then
those powders were analyzed for moisture, crude protein, carbohydrate, crude fat, total fat, ash
contents, and chromameter values in replicates (n = 3). For both FP and UP, Moisture%
(19.68±0.57, 13.59±1.48), Crude protein% (60.63±0.97, 12.59±2.65), Carbohydrate%
(1.96±0.10, 6.69±0.56), Crude fat% (4.22±0.93, 0.34±0.49), Total fat% (5.28±0.17, 2.38±0.12),
Ash% (15.81±0.39, 18.99±0.31), and Crude fiber% (only present in UP - 47.09±3.47). The
chromameter values for dried fish powder (FP) are reported as 36.13±1.45 (L*), -5.20±0.62 (a*),
and 11.70±1.02 (b*). Similarly, for dried Ulva powder (UP), the values are presented as
54.90±0.10 (L*), 8.10±0.10 (a*), and 25.00±0.87 (b*), representing the L*, a*, and b* values for
both powders, respectively. This broader understanding contributes to the discourse on the use
of these as functional foods based on nutritional composition and color aspects, concluding that
they are promising functional food ingredients for sustainable and accessible food solutions.
