Mauly Izzati Nabila, Sari Mustika, Anni Faridah, Rahmi Holinesti

The Effect of Mulberry Fruit Juice Substitution on Nata Sensory Quality

Introduction

The effect of mulberry fruit juice substitution on nata sensory quality. Discover how mulberry fruit juice substitution impacts nata sensory quality. Learn that 50% mulberry juice significantly enhances nata color and provides a preferred chewy texture, leveraging its antioxidant potential.

Abstract

Mulberry plants are generally used for their leaves as silkworm feed, while their fruits are rarely used. In fact, mulberry fruit has the potential as a functional food because of its antioxidant content and high economic value. One form of processing is making nata to add variety. This study aims to determine the effect of mulberry juice substitution at concentrations of 0% (X0), 25% (X1), 50% (X2), and 75% (X3) on the sensory quality of nata including color, aroma, texture, and taste. The method used was a pure experiment with a completely randomized design (CRD), involving 50 panelists. Data were analyzed using ANOVA and Duncan's test. The results showed that 50% mulberry juice substitution (X2) significantly increased the nata color score by 2.99, and produced a slightly chewy texture with a score of 2.28 which was still preferred by panelists. Aroma and taste did not show significant differences. Based on the overall results, treatment X2 (50%) was the best treatment in producing nata with the most preferred sensory quality.

Review

This study presents an interesting and timely exploration into the valorization of mulberry fruit, an often underutilized resource, by integrating it into nata production. The premise of leveraging mulberry's antioxidant potential and high economic value for functional food development is well-founded and addresses a gap in current applications beyond silkworm feed. The research clearly articulates its objective: to determine the effect of various mulberry juice concentrations on the sensory quality of nata. The experimental design, utilizing a completely randomized design with a substantial panel of 50 assessors and appropriate statistical analysis (ANOVA and Duncan's test), appears robust for assessing sensory attributes. The findings indicate a clear positive impact of mulberry juice substitution, particularly at a 50% concentration (X2), on the sensory profile of nata. This specific treatment significantly enhanced the nata's color score, suggesting an improvement in visual appeal, and contributed to a "slightly chewy" texture that was well-received by panelists. It is noteworthy that aroma and taste, crucial sensory dimensions, did not show significant negative differences across treatments, implying that the addition of mulberry juice did not detract from these attributes or that the panelists found the resulting aroma and taste acceptable. The identification of X2 as the "best treatment" provides a practical and actionable recommendation for future product development. While the study successfully identifies an optimal substitution level for improved sensory quality, it would benefit from further elaboration and expansion. The abstract mentions the potential of mulberry fruit as a "functional food because of its antioxidant content," yet the study solely focuses on sensory attributes without presenting any data on the actual retention or enhancement of antioxidant levels in the final nata product. Future iterations of this research would be significantly strengthened by including objective physicochemical analyses (e.g., antioxidant capacity, total phenolic content, pH, textural properties like hardness and elasticity) to complement the sensory data and substantiate the functional food claims. Nevertheless, this work provides a valuable preliminary investigation into an innovative application for mulberry fruit, offering a solid foundation for further research and product development in the realm of functional foods.

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