Nutritional Contribution of Patin (Pangasius) Bone Flour and Snakehead Fish Flour Fortification to Food Products for Children: A Narrative Literature Review
Abstract
Background: Stunting is a chronic nutritional problem affecting physical growth, cognitive development, and long-term productivity in children. Local, protein- and mineral-rich food-based interventions support nutrition improvement during the First 1000 Days of Life. Fish flour, including bone flour, from patin and snakehead fish is rich in protein, calcium, phosphorus, and energy, and has potential as a fortification ingredient in products such as biscuits, cookies, and dimsum. Objective: To review the contribution of patin bone flour and snakehead fish flour fortification to the nutritional composition and organoleptic acceptability of food products, and its relevance to stunting-prevention strategies. Method: This narrative review searched Scopus, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar for English and Indonesian language articles published between 2020 and 2025 using a PICO framework for screening. Seventeen articles were assessed for eligibility; six meetings of the inclusion criteria were analyzed. Result: Six included studies, three used patin (Pangasius hypophthalmus) bone flour and three used snakehead fish (Channa striata) flour, incorporated into biscuits, cookies, or dimsum at 10–75% concentrations. Where control values were reported, fortification increased protein and calcium content relative to unfortified controls, with increases in phosphorus and energy reported in individual studies, though higher concentrations reduced organoleptic acceptability; none of the studies measured anthropometric or stunting-related outcomes directly. Conclusion: Patin bone and snakehead fish flour fortification shows potential to increase the nutrient density of food products for children, supporting broader stunting-prevention strategies. However, evidence remains limited to a few heterogeneous formulation studies without anthropometric endpoints, quality appraisal, or safety data, indicating nutritional potential rather than proven effectiveness.