Pro Food

Evaluation of Physical and Chemical Characteristics of Cocoa Powder Products in Indonesia

Dewi Amrih — 2025-11-30

Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) is a plant that produces the main raw material for the chocolate industry. Cocoa plants are spread throughout tropical countries in the world, such as Indonesia, South America, and Africa. Cocoa beans can be turned into a range of processed chocolate goods, such as chocolate bars and cocoa powder, to raise their economic value. The characteristics of cocoa in each region have different characteristics depending on the factors of the planting process in the region and the processing process. This study will compare the characteristics of cocoa powder from various regions in Indonesia such as Yogyakarta, Jember, Lampung, Aceh, Kendari, and Jayapura. Moisture content of cocoa powder ranges 4.23-11,86, ash content ranges 4,06-10,58, protein content ranges 16,10-24,99, fat content ranges 11,75-40,37, and carbohydrate content by difference ranges 34,83-48,24. The physical analysis in this study includes fineness analysis with a range of 99.27%-99.70 %, color test using the Hunter Method with L value ranging from 29.79 to 42.05, a* value ranging from 17.65 to 24.71, b* value ranging from 18.75 to 26.29, and pH analysis with a range of 5.74-6.93. In conclusion, there are differences in the characteristics of cocoa powder between regions in Indonesia. The differences in environmental factors and processing processes in each area make cocoa powder's nutritional content and physical properties different.

The Quality of Pancakes Substituted by Yellow Pumpkin Flour (Cucurbita moschata) and White Kepok Banana Flour (Musa paradisiaca formatypica)

Agatha Dewinta Anesthi Putri — 2025-11-30

A pancake is a round, flat cake made from a mixture of flour, eggs, water, sugar, and baking powder, and is usually eaten as a snack. The Pancake in this research utilizes the substitution of yellow pumpkin flour and white kepok banana flour to reduce the use of wheat flour in Indonesia, aiming to increase the fiber content of the pancake. The pancake also contains higher nutritional value compared to a regular 100% wheat flour pancake, thus offering added value. This research employed a completely randomized design with three repetitions for each treatment: 0:0 (K), 30:10 (A), 20:20 (B), and 10:30 (C). The result showed that pancake substituted of yellow pumpkin flour and white kepok banana contained 25,63-32,23% moisture content, 1,29-1,73% ash content, 7,95-9,46% protein content, 1,73-2,87% fat content, 56,05-62,73% carbohydrate content, 2,03-8,03% insoluble fiber content, 3,36-12,01% soluble fiber content, 2,68-5,34 N hardness, 145,24-168,25% swelling power, yellowish orange color with score average L: 49,17; a: 13,1; b: 28,73; total plate count 30,33-204,67 CFU/g, and yeast mold rate 0 CFU/g. The substitution of yellow pumpkin flour and white kepok banana flour in the pancake had a significant effect on moisture content, protein content, fat content, carbohydrate content, insoluble fiber content, and soluble fiber content. The pancake substituted by 10% yellow pumpkin flour and 30% white kepok banana flour has the best quality among all treatments.

Detection of Salmonella typhi Based on PCR Method on Solid Block Dried Shrimp Paste Produced by SMEs in East Lombok Regency

Mutia Devi Ariyana — 2025-11-30

Shrimp paste is a fermented shrimp product that is at risk of being contaminated by pathogenic microorganisms, thus potentially causing foodborne diseases. The method for detecting pathogenic microorganisms that has proven to have high specificity and sensitivity in directly detecting the presence of pathogenic bacteria in food samples is the DNA detection method using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). This research aims to detect the presence of pathogenic bacteria, specifically Salmonella typhi, in shrimp paste products produced by several Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in East Lombok Regency using the PCR method. The research samples used were solid block dried shrimp paste from three SMEs in East Lombok Regency. The research results show that the DNA of Salmonella typhi bacteria was not detected in all tested samples. These results indicate that the shrimp paste from the three SMEs in East Lombok has met one of the microbiological quality requirements for shrimp paste based on SNI 2716:2016, which is the absence of Salmonella contamination.

Identification of Lactic Acid Bacteria Potential from Wild Horse Milk Dangke of West Nusa Tenggara as Indigenous Probiotic Candidates

Husnita Komalasari — 2025-11-30

Dangke is a traditional food from Enrekang, South Sulawesi, and in the West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) region, dangke is also produced from local food which is wild horse milk. This study aimed to identify and characterize the microbiological profile of dangke of NTB to assess its potential as an indigenous probiotic candidate. The research used an experimental method with a Completely Randomized Design (CRD), considering the area of sample origin as the factor with Tukey's post-hoc test was applied at a 5% significance level. Multivariate Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was conducted using XLSTAT to map the microbiological characteristics. The results showed that sampling areas significantly affected microbiological properties such as total lactic acid bacteria (LAB), growth tolerance to bile salt, NaCl, and pH 2.5, as well as antimicrobial activity against E. coli and S. aureus. PCA revealed that dangke from Bima and Sumbawa had similar characteristics, which differed from those of Lombok and Dompu. These findings indicated that LAB from wild horse milk dangke had potential as indigenous probiotic candidates. In conclusion, this study identified and mapped the regional differences in dangke characteristics and highlighted their probiotic potential.

Physicochemical and Microbiological Characterization of Shrimp and Anchovy Paste from West Nusa Tenggara

Muhammad Nizhar Naufali — 2025-11-30

Shrimp anchovy paste is a traditional fermented condiment widely consumed in Asia. Regional variation in raw material selection and processing practice may affect physicochemical composition and microbial ecology, with implications for quality and safety. This study characterized the physicochemical and microbiological properties of shrimp anchovy paste produced in Sumbawa, East Lombok, and Central Lombok. Samples were analysed for proximate composition, texture, colour, amino acid profile, total plate count, lactic acid bacteria enumeration, and cell morphology. Statistical differences were evaluated by one way analysis of variance and Duncan multiple range test using SPSS version 26. Moisture content increased from Sumbawa (37.83%) to East Lombok (43.25%) and Central Lombok (46.17%). Ash content was highest in Sumbawa (28.09%) and lowest in Central Lombok (18.27%). Protein was substantially lower in East Lombok (12.96%) compared with Sumbawa (23.23%) and Central Lombok (23.05%). Fat and instrumental hardness did not differ significantly among regions. Amino acid analysis identified glutamic acid as the dominant free amino acid, most abundant in Central Lombok (25685 ppm) and Sumbawa (23560 ppm). Microbiological profiling indicated the highest total plate count in Sumbawa (2.79 log CFU/mL) and the highest lactic acid bacteria count in East Lombok (2.57 log CFU/mL). Cell morphology revealed Gram negative bacilli in Sumbawa and Gram positive bacilli in East and Central Lombok. Regional differences in raw material ratio, salt application, drying regime, and microbial succession drive variation in composition and microbiology of shrimp anchovy paste.

Preserving Vitamin C, Antioxidant Capacity, and Sensory Attributes of Minimally Processed Fresh-Cut Pineapple (Ananas comosus) Using Mild Heat Blanching

Alfi Nur Rochmah — 2025-11-28

Pineapple (Ananas comosus) is a nutrient-rich tropical fruit known for its high content of vitamin C, bromelain enzyme, and phenolic compounds with antioxidant properties, which are prone to degradation during storage. This study investigated the effect of mild heat blanching (40 °C, 50 °C, and 60 °C) on the physicochemical and sensory qualities of blanching-treated fresh-cut pineapple. The blanching process was applied to improve shelf life while preserving key nutritional attributes, particularly vitamin C content, which is sensitive to thermal degradation. Pineapples were pretreated with 0.15% calcium chloride and subjected to blanching for 5 minutes, vacuum-packed, frozen, thawed, and evaluated for antioxidant activity (DPPH method), vitamin C content (iodometry), total soluble solids (TSS), pH, and sensory attributes (hedonic rating). Researchs result showed that blanching at 60 °C significantly preserved vitamin C (865.33 mg/100g) and antioxidant activity (17.39%) compared to using lower temperatures (40 °C, 50 °C), while maintaining acceptable sensory properties. Although blanching reduced TSS and pH compared to fresh pineapple, the treatment at 60 °C achieved the highest preference scores for color, aroma, taste, and texture. The De Garmo effectiveness index identified 60 °C as the optimal blanching temperature, balancing nutritional preservation and consumer acceptability. These findings suggest that controlled blanching at 60 °C is a viable preservation method for fresh-cut pineapple, extending shelf life while maintaining sensory and functional quality.

The Effect of Water Substitution with Binahong (Anredera cordifolia) Leaf Extract on the Sensory and Physicochemical Characteristics of Ice Cream

Fidela Violalita — 2025-11-28

Ice cream is classified as a popular frozen product consisting of a mixture of milk, cream, and various other ingredients. To provide functional value, innovation was achieved by utilizing binahong leaf extract. The high antioxidant and chlorophyll content in binahong leaf extract makes it a potential natural coloring agent for ice cream. This study aimed to analyze the quality of ice cream substituted with binahong (Anredera cordifolia) leaf extract in terms of sensory and physicochemical characteristics. Four substitution treatments of water with binahong leaf extract in ice cream 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% were analyzed using the hedonic sensory method to determine the best formulation. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Duncan's Multiple Range Test (DMRT) at a significance level of 0.05% were used to analyze the data obtained. Sensory analysis results showed that the 75% binahong leaf extract treatment provided the highest level of preference among panelists. The preference scores for the binahong leaf extract ice cream were appearance 4.07 (slightly liked), color 4.20 (slightly liked), aroma 3.70 (slightly liked), taste 4.30 (slightly liked), and texture 4.00 (slightly liked). Physicochemical analysis of the best treatment showed fat content of 5.18%, sugar content of 16.55%, protein content of 3.31%, antioxidant level of 16.93% inhibition, flavonoid content of 11.45 ppm, crude fiber content of 0.0685%, total solids of 34%, and overrun of 89.59%. Based on the standards in SNI 01-3713-1995, the quality of the resulting ice cream met the established requirements.

Characterization of Dragon Fruit Peel Extract (Hylocereus sp.) With Variations in Tartaric Acid Concentration as Natural Food

Fernando Fernando — 2025-11-28

Food colorant plays a vital role in the food industry by enhancing visual appeal and shaping consumer perception of product quality. Synthetic food dyes, though commonly used, have been linked to various health concerns such as allergies, hyperactivity in children, and potential carcinogenic risks when consumed above the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI). Therefore, natural and safe alternatives are needed. This study investigates the potential use of red dragon fruit (Hylocereus sp.) peel extract as a natural food colorant and antioxidant source, using maceration extraction with varying concentrations of tartaric acid (0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8%). Parameters evaluated include physical properties (yield and color intensity), chemical characteristics (pH and total anthocyanins), antioxidant activity, and food processing simulations (thermal stability, pH effects on color, and solvent solubility). The results showed that 4% tartaric acid yielded the highest extraction output, color intensity (absorbance 2.774), highest total anthocyanin, and antioxidant activity (84.06%), with optimal color stability at temperatures up to 40°C and at pH 3. The extract showed excellent solubility in water (97.41%) and 15% ethanol (96.40%), while being insoluble in oil. These results indicate that red dragon fruit peel extract has great potential as a natural dye that not only provides an attractive red color but also functions as a natural antioxidant that is safe and stable under various food processing conditions.