<![CDATA[Hilsa kelee is an abundant fishery commodity in Balinese waters and has great potential as a raw material for functional food products due to its high protein content and omega-3 fatty acids. One popular form of processing is fish meatballs. However, challenges in improving sensory quality and nutritional value remain a concern. This study aims to investigate the effect of adding seaweed flour in various concentrations (0%, 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4%) on the quality and consumer preference of Mata Belo fish meatball products. Seaweed is known to contain fiber, minerals, and bioactive compounds that can improve the functional and organoleptic characteristics of food products. This study was conducted at the Teaching Factory of the Marine and Fisheries Polytechnic of Jembrana in February–March 2025, using experimental methods and sensory tests (SNI 7266:2017) and hedonic (SNI 2346:2015) with 30 panelists. Data analysis was carried out using the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests. The results showed that the addition of seaweed flour significantly affected the odor and taste attributes (p < 0.001), but did not significantly affect the appearance and texture (p > 0.05). Meanwhile, the hedonic test showed that the concentration variation did not significantly affect the panelists' preference level for all attributes (p > 0.05). The addition of seaweed flour up to 4% can improve sensory quality without reducing consumer preference. This research contributes to the development of functional food products based on local fish and seaweed that are value-added and competitive.]]>
