Banana Core as Substitute Filler in Siomai: A Product Development and Sensory Evaluation Study

Abstract

Background: The study explored the potential of banana core as an alternative filler for traditional pork-based siomai. Siomai, a popular steamed dumpling in Asian cuisine, traditionally contains ground pork and other meats, but growing health and environmental awareness has encouraged the search for sustainable and nutritious alternatives (Liu et al., 2020). The banana pseudostem’s inner core is rich in fiber, potassium, and vitamin B6 (Munishamanna et al., 2020), and previous studies revealed its high nutritional composition, including 50% carbohydrates and 13% protein (Dayod et al., 2016). However, its use in meat-based food products remains limited, presenting a research gap that this study aimed to address. Methods: A Completely Randomized Design (CRD) was employed, using five treatments with varying proportions of pork and banana core: T0 (100% pork), T1 (75% pork, 25% banana core), T2 (50% pork, 50% banana core), T3 (25% pork, 75% banana core), and T4 (100% banana core). A total of 78 respondents, including Home Economics students and faculty from Northwest Samar State University – San Jorge Campus, participated in a sensory evaluation using a 9-point Hedonic Scale to assess taste, texture, aroma, appearance, and overall acceptability. Results: The revealed that Treatment T3 (25% pork and 75% banana core) achieved the highest ratings across most sensory attributes, indicating an optimal blend that retained the desirable characteristics of traditional siomai while incorporating plant-based ingredients. Conclusion: The study concludes that banana core is a viable and sustainable substitute for pork filler in siomai, capable of maintaining favorable sensory qualities and enhancing product innovation.