Karpioki – an innovative snack made from carp meat

The innovative snack called carpioki was created as a response to today’s challenges of food waste and the need for healthier alternatives to popular snacks.

Sustainably produced products that combine health, taste and ecological qualities are gaining popularity in the food market. Karpioki – innovative carp snacks – are an example of foods that respond to these needs. They are an alternative to traditional snacks. Their creation was inspired not only by the desire for culinary innovation, but also by the need to make efficient use of leftover meat, often wasted during fillet production.

Carp as an underrated culinary resource

Carp, despite being an integral part of the culinary traditions of many countries, including Poland, for centuries, is currently not very popular as a raw material for large-scale food production. Its consumption is largely seasonal, associated mainly with the Christmas season. During this time, traditional carp appears on Christmas Eve tables in the form of fried fillets, in jelly or after smoking. Outside this period, demand for it is relatively low, leaving many valuable resources of this fish untapped.

A barrier to the popularization of carp as a culinary resource is often associations with its peculiar taste, as well as fears of numerous bones, which deter many potential consumers. Carp is also perceived as a fish that is difficult to process, which discourages both individual customers and food producers. As a result, its meat is sometimes undervalued. And this is a pity, because it is rich in nutritional values that benefit our health. It is a source of easily digestible protein and omega-3 fatty acids (including EPA and DHA), which have beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system.

How carpioles are made

One of the goals of the project, in addition to increasing fish consumption through a new and innovative form of serving it, was to use processing side streams for consumption. The problem of underutilized carp meat resources mainly concerns the leftovers from filleting the fish. In the traditional production model, these items are often treated as waste or used to a limited extent. However, in an era of increasing environmental awareness and growing emphasis on circular economy, this approach is becoming less and less acceptable. Therefore, meat obtained by separation from post-filet residues is mainly used for carp production.

The process of making carpaccio consists of several steps. The most important is the combination of the meat with the starchy ingredient, which is obtained by intensive mixing with the addition of water, salt and sugar. The next stage is the glutination of the starch by evaporation. This is when a compact structure is formed from the combination of two large molecules, which are protein and starch. The bars obtained after the evaporation process (Photo 1) are cut into thin slices and subjected to a drying process, obtaining a semi-finished product in the form of a pellet (Photo 2). It can be sold in this form or subjected to deep-frying to give it the desired sensory characteristics, namely porosity and crunchiness (photo 3).

A healthier alternative to chips

Karpioki are roasted fish prepared from a mixture of carp meat and starch. The key goal was to create a product that uses the full potential of the fish. With simple ingredients – carp meat, tapioca starch, a bit of salt and sugar – a product with a high content of protein, fish lipids, minerals and vitamins was achieved.

This innovative snack expands in the process of deep-frying, increases its volume, and at the same time becomes a crunchy morsel, reminiscent of classic chips or roasts. Despite deep-frying the snack to achieve the desired qualities, the fat and saturated fatty acid content is significantly lower compared to popular snacks, which also translates into a lower energy value – more than 7 percent compared to a classic commercial roasting and more than 13.5 percent. – with crisps. A comparison of the nutritional value of carpaccio and commercially available snacks is shown in Table 1.

The most nutritionally important ingredient in the innovative snack is the wholesome, well-absorbed protein of the fish. The high protein content (14.5 percent), ten times higher than that of roasted fish and more than twice that of chips, is an important argument for people who make conscious dietary choices. Besides, it authorizes the promotion of the product with the nutrition claim – “source of protein.” With 50% fish (carp) content, these snacks are a source of easily digestible protein with high digestibility and essential amino acids, including lysine. Research carried out at the Department of Fish, Plant and Catering Technology at ZUT in Szczecin showed high lysine content in snacks. Depending on the percentage of fish in the carpaccio, the lysine content ranged from 1.3 g to 2.3 g per 100 g of product.

Analyzing the nutritional results shown in Table 1, it is important to note the amount of salt reduced to 0.5 percent, while keeping the sensory qualities at the desired level. The Reference Dietary Allowance (RWS) for salt in carbs was just 3 percent, while chips had almost 10 percent and romaine had as much as 14.4 percent.

Development prospects

The advantage of carpoches is their versatility – they can be eaten as a healthy snack between meals, a side dish or an option for children. Their unique properties and neutral taste give the product the potential to conquer the market both in Poland and abroad. The key to success, however, will be further development of the technology, consideration of consumer preferences and effective product launch.

Summary

Karpioki is an example of how an innovative approach to food raw materials can benefit not only consumers, but also the environment. With their nutritional value and eco-friendly nature, they can become an interesting alternative to traditional snacks. New technologies that are changing the way we think about food are opening the door to unlimited possibilities. Products such as carpioki are proof that science and the food industry have the potential to create trends that respond to both market needs and the challenges facing global society. It’s a culinary innovation that could affect the way we view fish and its role in our daily diet.

Dr inż. Grzegorz Tokarczyk jest profesorem Zachodniopomorskiego Uniwersytetu Technologicznego w Szczecinie i kierownikiem Katedry Technologii Rybnej, Roślinnej i Gastronomicznej na Wydziale Nauk o Żywności i Rybactwa. Konsultant naukowy Departamentu Rybołówstwa Ministerstwa Rolnictwa i Rozwoju Wsi. Prowadzi badania w zakresie analizy białek i tłuszczów, zmian składników żywności zachodzących podczas przetwarzania surowców pochodzenia wodnego oraz nowych i innowacyjnych produktów spożywczych. Zajmuje się również zagadnieniami dotyczącymi prawa żywnościowego, w tym  znakowaniem produktów rybołówstwa.

Dr inż. Grzegorz Bienkiewicz jest profesorem Zachodniopomorskiego Uniwersytetu Technologicznego w Szczecinie i pracownikiem Katedry Towaroznawstwa, Oceny Jakości, Inżynierii Procesowej i Żywienia Człowieka na Wydziale Nauk o Żywności i Rybactwa. Rzeczoznawca UOKiK z lisy Zachodniopomorskiego Inspektora Jakości Handlowej. Prowadzi badania w zakresie jakości lipidów żywności, szczególnie lipidów ryb. Zajmuje się również zagadnieniami dotyczącymi prawa żywnościowego, w tym znakowaniem produktów rybołówstwa.

Mgr inż. Patrycja Biernacka jest doktorantką w Katedrze Technologii Rybnej, Roślinnej i Gastronomicznej na Wydziale Nauk o Żywności i Rybactwa Zachodniopomorskiego Uniwersytetu Technologicznego w Szczecinie. Prowadzi badania w zakresie wykorzystania roślinnych surowców w produkcji żywności funkcjonalnej. Zajmuje się fizjologią organizmu człowieka i wpływie żywności na jego funkcjonowanie.