Noodle is one of the popular foods and favoured in ASIA, including Indonesia. Thus, this research was conducted to determine the level of pumpkin concentration in substituting wheat flour as a natural food colorant in the manufacture of crispy noodles that can be accepted by consumers. It is experimental research. This research conducted the determination of pumpkin flour substitution on wheat flour, i.e., F0 (control, 0% substitution) F1 (20% pumpkin flour substitution), F2 (30% pumpkin flour substitution), and F3 (40% pumpkin flour substitution), and analysis of these substitutions toward organoleptic quality analysis in the development of crispy noodles. According to the results, at proximate composition determination, the water content of crispy pumpkin noodles of F0 has the lowest water content (2.46%), and F1 has the highest ash, protein, and starch contents (3.33%, 15.79%, and 37.42%, respectively). At the organoleptic properties assessed by the semi-trained panellist, the panellists seemed unable to distinguish the color or aroma of the crispy noodles significantly, with the excellent taste was F1 and texture was F2. So the F1 was chosen to go through the acceptability assessment on school children by comparing with F0. It was found that school children could not distinguish colors, flavors, aromas, and textures significantly between both F1 (selected product) and F0 (control). It revealed that pumpkin crispy noodles could be an alternative of healthy snacks with a 20% pumpkin flour substitution toward wheat flour that can improve the family economy. Further research suggested to find out regarding the benefits of crispy pumpkin noodles on the health of school children.
Key words: School children, Pumpkin, dry noodles
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