Nur Wulandari

Tongkol (Euthynnus affinis) or Mackerel tuna consumption in Indonesia remains limited due to the presence of the allergenic protein parvalbumin. This study aimed to evaluate the chemical composition, physical properties, protein molecular weight profile, and allergenicity of pindang tongkol processed by pressurized heating. A Completely Randomized Design with three autoclave time treatments (15, 20, and 25 min) at 150 °C and 0.103 MPa was applied. Chemical composition and physical properties were analyzed, protein profiles were determined using SDS-PAGE, protein concentration by the Bradford method, and texture by Texture Profile Analysis (TPA). Allergenicity was assessed qualitatively by immunoblotting and quantitatively by ELISA. Pressurized heating altered the chemical composition and physical properties of tongkol. SDS-PAGE revealed protein band at 10–12 kDa, suspected to be parvalbumin, in all samples; however, immunoblotting detected parvalbumin only in the raw sample. Allergen content decreased by 71, 86, and 97% after 15, 20, and 25 min of heating, respectively, compared to raw fish. Pressurized heating during pindang processing effectively reduced allergenicity and may improve the safety of mackerel tongkol consumption for individuals with fish protein hypersensitivity

Taro’s dietary fiber content contributes to its potential as a low glycemic index food, although the glycemic index has yet to be established. Sweet corn (glycemic index 37) and red beans (glycemic index 20) are also recognized for their low glycemic index. The present research aims to develop a low glycemic index instant porridge using taro, sweet corn, and red beans as functional ingredients to support blood glucose control. The glycemic index of taro was initially determined before milling taro, sweet corn, and red beans into flour. Three formulas were developed with different proportions of taro, sweet corn, and red bean flour (Formulas 1 to 3): 50:25:25, 25:50:25, and 25:25:50. The instant porridge samples were evaluated for glycemic index, physicochemical properties, and sensory profile using the Rate-All-That-Apply and hedonic methods. The findings showed taro has a moderate glycemic index of 60. Formula 3 was identified as the optimal formula because it contained high levels of total dietary fiber (17.45 g/100 g), high protein (24.21 g/100 g), and resistant starch (4.51 g/100 g), along with sensory acceptance (5.35 out of 7). The results showed significant differences among the formulas (p < 0.05). A higher proportion of red bean in formula 3 positively affected chemical characteristics and sensory acceptance of the instant porridge. Formula 3 also had a low glycemic index (35) and a low glycemic load (9.9).

Increasing chicken meat consumption has stimulated interest in healthier foods, including functional chicken meat. This study evaluated the effects of dietary lemuru fish oil (2.5%) and micromineral supplementation (Zn, Fe, and Cr) on the fatty acid profile, cholesterol, and micronutrient content of Kampung Unggul Balitbangtan (KUB) chicken meat. A total of 120 day-old chicks (DOC) were assigned to four dietary treatments with three replicates: T0 (2.5% crude palm oil), T1 (2.5% lemuru fish oil), T2 (2.5% lemuru fish oil + microminerals level 1), and T3 (2.5% lemuru fish oil + microminerals level 2). Treatment P2 indicated improved nutritional quality of meat, characterized by a lower omega-6:omega-3 ratio (9.91:1) and increased long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, particularly EPA (0.76%) and DHA (1.30%). These changes are nutritionally relevant because higher long-chain n-3 PUFA (EPA and DHA) and a more balanced n-6:n-3 ratio are commonly associated with improved dietary fat quality and cardiovascular health. In addition, T2 increased zinc deposition in meat (18.46 mg kg⁻¹), supporting micronutrient enrichment alongside lipid quality improvement. Overall, the combination of lemuru fish oil and microminerals especially in T2, may enhance the nutritional quality of KUB chicken meat and support its development as functional chicken meat.

Red palm oil (RPO)-based oleogel had potential as a substitute for cocoa butter substitute (CBS) in the manufacture of chocolate confectionery. This study aimed to obtain the optimum formula of chocolate confectionery with RPO-based oleogel and determine the physicochemical characteristics, sensory profile and hedonic rating, nutrition facts, and contribution to meet the vitamin A requirement. The methods used were: (1) manufacture and characterization of RPO-based oleogel, (2) optimization formulas of chocolate confectionery with RPO-based oleogel by D-optimal mixture design, and (3) characterization of chocolate confectionery with RPO-based oleogel. The result showed that RPO-based oleogel had a high carotenoid content of 545.87±3.39 mg/kg and slip melting point of 46.67‒47.83°C. The optimum formula was 17.780% CBS, 13.880% RPO-based oleogel, and 3.340% stearin which had a texture of 1861.49 gf and total carotenoids of 207.861 mg/kg. The sensory profile of chocolate confectionery with RPO-based oleogel based on the RATA method was yellow color; sweet, milk, fatty, and vanilla flavor; sweet, bitter, and fatty aftertaste; hard texture; melted, sandy, and sticky mouthfeel. The score of children panelists’ liking was 4.52 (liked extremely). One serving size of this product fulfilled 12% of the daily vitamin A requirement from the total requirement of 600 RE.

Squid are susceptible to bacterial contamination by Vibrio parahaemolyticus, with a prevalence of 80%. Squid preservation is generally achieved by drying after brine salting, which does not always completely stop the growth of V. parahaemolyticus. To reduce bacterial numbers, a boiling process is usually conducted before drying. This study aimed to determine the optimal electric field and duration for inactivating V. parahaemolyticus and evaluating the effectiveness of pulsed electric fields (PEF) technology on salted squid. PEF technology specifications with a current strength of 2 amperes using electric fields (3.5, 7, and 10.5 kV/cm) and time durations (10, 20, and 30 s). Bacterial reduction by electric fields was observed using colony counts, followed by counting of dead cells using a flow cytometer. Bacterial damage was observed using a scanning electron microscope. The results showed that PEF with the highest intensity (10.5 kV/cm for 30 s) reduced V. parahaemolyticus by 66.12% at high contamination levels (approximately 106 CFU/g) and 97.63% at low contamination levels (approximately 102 CFU/g) in salted squid. These results were comparable to those obtained after boiling treatment (2 min, 85°C). Damage to the bacterial cell membrane increased due to the increasing electric field, as observed by increasing in red fluorescing cells by flow cytometry and cell damage by SEM. PEF is a promising alternative technology for producing salted squid.

This study aims to develop an edible coating based on virgin coconut oil (VCO) nanoemulsion, iota-carrageenan and alginate to prolong the shelf life of pindang (mildly salted cooked) fish products. The research involved three stages: material preparation, characterization and determination of factors and responses for experimental design; parameter optimization to achieve optimal conditions; and application and analysis of pre- and post-coating characteristics of pindang fish. The parameter ranges were 0.5–1.5% for alginate concentration, 0.5–1.5% for iota-carrageenan concentration and 0.5–1.0% for VCO nanoemulsion concentration. The result of this study was an optimized food coating solution that was clear and bright white in color. Pindang fish coated with this layer showed improved quality in terms of water content (48.46%), weight loss (0.39%), pH (5.84), total volatile base (47.01%), salt content (2.9%), appearance (7), texture (7) and slime (7). At the same time, the total bacterial count remained unchanged (8 log colony-forming units (CFU)/g), the mold count remained unchanged (5 log CFU/g) and the aroma and taste received a score of 6. Thus, this study successfully produced an optimized edible coating that can enhance the quality and extend the shelf life of pindang fish, making it suitable for broader market distribution.

A healthier lifestyle, incorporating the consumption of foods with a low glycemic index, can mitigate the risk of diabetes. Previous research aimed to develop food products with a low glycemic index using high-fiber raw materials such as sweet corn (Zea mays saccharata Sturt) with a glycemic index 36 and red beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) with 26. However, these products exhibited weaknesses, including low crunch resistance in milk, lack of consideration for consumer sensory acceptance, and unverified glycemic index values. Therefore, this research aimed to (1) enhance the crunch resistance of instant flakes in milk; (2) evaluate the physical and sensory characteristics of instant flakes products; and (3) determine the glycemic index value of instant flakes products based on the best formula from the sensory tests. Five formulas were developed based on the proportion of red beans to sweet corn (formulas 1 to 5), respectively 80:120, 90:110, 100:100, 110:90, and 120:80. The color of all formulas of flakes tended to be similar (dominant yellow). The crunch resistance in milk exceeded 2 minutes, predominantly influenced by the red bean portion. Sensory profile from consumer preferences indicated that the intensity of the attributes such as yellowish-brown color, sweet aroma, salty taste, savory taste, savory aftertaste, burned taste, sandy texture, hard texture, dry aftertaste, sticky aftertaste needed to be reduced when serving flakes with milk. Formula 3 emerged as the optimal formula based on sensory profile and red bean proportion, exhibiting a low glycemic index value of 28.

Tempe is an Indonesian traditional fermented food that is made from soybean. Tempe has a high potential to be developed as a functional drink product due to its physiological functions for health. The development of tempe-based products such as tempe drink powder is commonly related to its sensory evaluation aspects. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to achieve the most preferred formulation for tempe drink by consumers and to identify the sensory attributes using the rate-all-that-apply (RATA) method. The RATA test was performed correspondingly with the hedonic rating test to achieve the sensory profile as well as the consumer preferences level of the product. The tests were conducted by involving fifty semi-trained panelists, then the data were analyzed using one -way ANOVA, Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Pearson correlation and spider web methods. There were four formulas (F1, F2, F3, F4) for the tempe drinks tested with various compositions of tempe flour, maltodextrin, guar gum, sugar and flavour. The formula tested and chosen had overall scores of like slightly (5.58), colour (5.40), aroma (5.62), taste (5.44) and mouthfeel (5.16). Based on the PCA biplot chart, there was a correlation between the sample formula with sensory attributes of 94.52% with data variation which consisted of 31.19% (F1) and 63.33 (F2). The result of the analysis showed that each formula had unique sensory formula due to each formula being mapped in different quadrants. The dominant attributes which were found in the tempe drink powder were vanilla, milky, umami, bitter aftertaste and particles. The most preferred formula by the panelists was F1 which had dominant attributes of milky and vanilla.