<![CDATA[Narrow-barred anchovy (Stolephorus spp.) is one of the important fishery commodities in Sumenep Regency and has considerable potential as a nutritious food source due to its high protein and mineral contents. Processing anchovies into fish flour can increase their economic value and expand their utilization as a functional food (superfood). The quality of fish flour is strongly influenced by the cooking method applied prior to drying. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of different cooking methods on the yield, moisture content, ash content, and calcium content of anchovy flour and to determine the most suitable processing method. A completely randomized design (CRD) with three treatments was employed, namely no cooking (C), boiling at approximately 100°C for 5 minutes (R), and steaming at approximately 100°C for 5 minutes (K), each with three replications. Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) at a 95% confidence level followed by Duncan's Multiple Range Test (DMRT) when significant differences occurred. The results indicated that cooking methods significantly affected yield (p=0.040), moisture content (p<0.001), and ash content (p<0.001), but had no significant effect on calcium content (p=0.076). Boiling produced the highest yield (14.97±0.15%) and the lowest moisture content (8.84±0.03%), whereas the untreated samples had the highest ash content (9.96±0.03%) and calcium content (79.00±9.00 mg/100 g). These findings suggest that boiling is the most effective pretreatment for producing anchovy flour with desirable physical characteristics, while calcium content remains relatively stable regardless of the cooking method.]]>
