Author

Aisa S. Baquial*
Teacher III/San Roque National High School, Alburquerque, Bohol, Philippines

Abstract

This study investigated the formulation, utilization, and marketability of savory snacks developed from water yam (Dioscorea alata L.) and saluyot (Corchorus olitorius) leaves as nutritious, plant-based alternatives to conventional processed snack foods. Three treatments were developed, namely kropeck (T1), breadstick (T2), and cookies (T3), and were evaluated in terms of product profile, sensory characteristics, level of liking, and marketability across three selling locations: school canteen, sidewalk vendor, and wet market. The study employed experimental and descriptive research designs, with 100 purposively selected respondents from BISU campuses, DepEd TLE/TVL teachers, senior high school food technology students, food vendors, and consumers. Sensory evaluation used a five-point hedonic scale assessing appearance, aroma, taste, and texture, while marketability was tracked through a ten-day sales journal. Results revealed that all three treatments received favorable sensory ratings, with T1 (kropeck) consistently obtaining the highest scores across most sensory attributes and achieving the highest overall sales of 174 packs combined across all locations. Proximate analysis showed that breadstick contained the highest protein (10.2 g/100g), fiber (1.21 g/100g), and carbohydrate (76.7 g/100g) content, while kropeck recorded the highest calcium (160.99 mcg/g) and vitamin A as beta-carotene (153.18 mg RE/100g), both largely attributed to the inclusion of saluyot leaves and water yam. Microbial testing confirmed the absence of Salmonella in breadstick and cookies, affirming food safety. Shelf-life observation indicated that breadstick remained acceptable up to Day 20, kropeck up to Day 15, and cookies up to Day 9 at room temperature. Paper-based packaging was significantly preferred over plastic-based across all treatments in terms of durability, aesthetics, eco-friendliness, and cost-effectiveness. Two-way ANOVA revealed significant differences in marketability based on both treatment (F = 7.36, p = 0.001) and selling location (F = 5.32, p = 0.008); however, no significant interaction effect was observed between the two variables (F = 1.18, p = 0.329). The study concludes that water yam and saluyot leaves are viable functional ingredients for producing nutritious, acceptable, and marketable savory snacks, with strong potential for commercialization and integration into food technology education programs.

Keywords: Dioscorea alata, Corchorus olitorius, savory snacks, sensory evaluation, marketability.

*Corresponding author / Email: aisa.baquial123@gmail.com
DOI: http://doi.org/10.69651/PIJHSS05021054

Recommended citation:
Baquial, A. S. (2026). Formulation, utilization, and marketability of water yam (Dioscorea alata L.) and saluyot (Corchorus olitorius) leaves savory snacks. Pantao (The International Journal of the Humanities and Social Sciences) 5 (2), 2506-2535. http://doi.org/10.69651/PIJHSS05021054

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