Healthy Snack Bar Formulation Achieves Consumer Acceptance with Reduced Sugar, Salt, and Fat

Why It Matters

This research addresses the growing market demand for healthier snack alternatives. By identifying an optimal ingredient ratio and sweetener level, it provides a tangible pathway for product developers to create appealing and nutritionally superior snack bars that align with consumer health consciousness.

Key Finding

A new healthy snack bar made from koro benguk and purple sweet potato, sweetened with stevia, was found to be well-accepted by consumers and had lower levels of sugar, salt, and fat, though its sensory appeal was slightly less than commercial options.

Key Findings

• The optimal formulation for consumer acceptance was 40% koro benguk flour and 60% purple sweet potato flour with 3ml of stevia sweetener.
• The developed snack bar had significantly lower sugar (9.95%), salt (0.034%), and fat (19.71%) content compared to typical market snacks.
• The product offered a good source of protein (14.94%) and dietary fiber (4.77%).
• While nutritionally superior, the sensory preference score was lower than a commercial benchmark product.

Research Evidence

Aim: To develop a healthy snack bar formulation using koro benguk and purple sweet potato flour with stevia sweetener, and to evaluate consumer acceptance and nutritional profile.

Method: Experimental design with sensory evaluation and chemical analysis.

Procedure: A 2-factor Completely Randomized Design was employed, varying the ratios of koro benguk and purple sweet potato flour (45:55%, 40:60%, 35:65%) and the amount of stevia sweetener (1.5ml, 3ml, 4.5ml). Consumer acceptance was assessed, and the nutritional content (moisture, ash, fat, protein, carbohydrate, fiber, sugar, salt) of the best-performing formula was analyzed.

Context: Food product development, healthy snack market.

Design Principle

Nutritional optimization through ingredient synergy and natural sweetening agents can lead to market-viable healthy food products.

How to Apply

When developing new snack products targeting health-conscious consumers, experiment with alternative flours and natural sweeteners, and conduct thorough sensory evaluations to balance nutritional benefits with palatability.

Limitations

The sensory preference score was lower than the commercial product, indicating room for improvement in taste and texture to fully compete.

Student Guide (IB Design Technology)

Simple Explanation: Researchers created a healthier snack bar using less common ingredients and a natural sweetener, and people liked it, even though it wasn't quite as tasty as regular snack bars.

Why This Matters: This study shows how to innovate in the food industry by creating healthier versions of popular snacks, which is a key aspect of design projects focused on consumer well-being and market trends.

Critical Thinking: While the developed snack bar is nutritionally superior, its lower sensory preference score compared to commercial products suggests a trade-off between health and palatability. How can designers balance these competing factors in future product development?

IA-Ready Paragraph: This research demonstrates the successful development of a healthy snack bar formulation combining koro benguk and purple sweet potato flour with stevia sweetener, achieving consumer acceptance while significantly reducing sugar, salt, and fat content. The optimal A2B2 formula (40% koro benguk: 60% purple sweet potato: 3ml stevia) provided a nutritionally superior product, highlighting the potential for ingredient innovation in the healthy snack market.

Project Tips

• Consider using underutilized or novel ingredients to create unique product offerings.
• Focus on reducing unhealthy components like sugar and fat while enhancing beneficial ones like fiber and protein.
• Always compare your product's sensory qualities against established market benchmarks.

How to Use in IA

• This research can inform the development of a healthier food product, demonstrating an understanding of market demand for nutritious options and the use of alternative ingredients.

Examiner Tips

• Ensure that any claims about health benefits are supported by clear nutritional analysis and comparative data.

Independent Variable: ["Ratio of koro benguk flour to purple sweet potato flour","Amount of stevia sweetener"]

Dependent Variable: ["Consumer acceptance (sensory preference score)","Nutritional content (moisture, ash, fat, protein, carbohydrate, fiber, sugar, salt)"]

Controlled Variables: ["Type of koro benguk flour","Type of purple sweet potato flour","Type of stevia sweetener","Baking/processing method"]

Strengths

• Addresses a clear market need for healthier snacks.
• Uses a systematic experimental design (2-Factor CRD).
• Provides detailed nutritional analysis of the developed product.

Critical Questions

• What are the long-term health implications of consuming koro benguk and purple sweet potato regularly?
• How can the sensory appeal of this healthy snack bar be improved to match or exceed commercial benchmarks without compromising its health benefits?

Extended Essay Application

• Investigate the market viability and consumer perception of alternative healthy snack ingredients in a specific geographic region.
• Develop and test prototypes of innovative healthy food products, focusing on optimizing both nutritional content and sensory appeal.

Source

Pengembangan healthy snack bar kombinasi koro benguk (Mucuna pruriens l.) dan ubi jalar ungu (Ipomoea batatas l.) berdasarkan penerimaan konsumen · Agrointek · 2026 · 10.21107/agrointek.v20i1.28623