Therapeutic potential effects of catfish and fermented sweet potato chocolate paste on malnutrition in protein-deficient rats

Abstract The number of stunting cases in Indonesia has been an alarming issue, reaching over 21% in 2023. One of the stunting determinants is Protein and mineral insufficiency. Additional food provision, combining animal and vegetable protein in the form of ready-to-eat food, has been suggested to overcome stunting. Therefore, this study was aimed to ensure the standard quality, nutritional value, acceptance level, and outcomes of the combination of catfish, fermented sweet potato, and isolated soy protein (ISP) flours in the form of chocolate paste for stunting biomarkers. The research process encompassed the development and evaluation product, its compliance with the food contaminants’ regulatory standards, nutritional content, hedonic tests (by the panelists), and a pre-clinical test in malnutrition animal models induced with daily protein restriction (4% protein/day). The substitution products’ effects testing on experimental animals included monitoring growth rates (body weight and body mass index), blood serum profiles, and intestinal inflammation biomarkers from fecal samples. The findings indicate that the chocolate paste formulated with 3.3% catfish flour, 9.8% fermented sweet potato, and 3.3% isolate soy protein qualifies as a high-protein product enriched with diverse range of minerals. This product fulfilled the requirements for additional food standards and met the panelists’ acceptance with overall mean score was 4.08 and was proven to significantly affect blood serum (i.e., albumin, total protein, calcium, zinc, iron) and prevent increased intestinal inflammation, though its future application may require further consideration of ingredient availability, cost-efficiency, and large-scale production feasibility to ensure real-world effectiveness.