Amino acid and fatty acid profile and digestible indispensable amino acid score of pasta fortified with salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) powder

Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) is characterised by being rich in amino acids and long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) known for its health benefits. Pasta was prepared with different levels (5–20%) of salmon fish powder (SFP) and control made with semolina. Chemical composition, amino acid and fatty acid profiles of the pasta were determined. Fortification of pasta with SFP increased (p < 0.05) indispensable amino acid (IAA) content compared to the control. The incorporation of 5–20% SFP in the pasta formulation decreased the n6:n3 ratio from 19:1 (the control pasta) to 5:1 to 3:1, respectively. Digestible indispensable amino acid scores (DIAAS) were calculated using published data on amino acids digestibility to evaluate the protein quality of the pasta. IAA contents (mg IAA/g protein), were found to be highest in the enriched pasta with SFP (372–453) and lowest in the control pasta (328), all exceeded the FAO recommended daily allowance (277 mg IAA/g protein) and contributed on average 41% to total amino acid contents. The DIAAS value in the control pasta was 36% (lysine) and the pasta enriched with SFP containing had a DIAAS between 75 to 99%. Therefore, to fulfil the daily human AA requirement, the control pasta needs to be supplemented by amino acid and fatty acid rich salmon fish protein to achieve greater lysine concentration with DIAAS.