Effect of Carbon Source on the Quality Characteristics of Arabica Coffee (Coffea arabica) Cascara Kombucha Deyinta Apenabel Surya*, Feronika Heppy Sriherfyna
Biotechnology, Departement of Food Science and Biotechnology, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Universitas Brawijaya, Jl. Veteran No.10-11, Malang, Indonesia
*deyinta.surya[at]student.ub.ac.id
Abstract
Cascara is the main by-product produced during coffee processing that comes from the Spanish word that means husk. Cascara, especially from Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica), have long been regarded as underused waste while having great potential as a raw material for functional food products. Utilizing it as a substrate for kombucha would increase its added value. The research was conducted to evaluate the influence of the type and concentration of carbon sources on the quality characteristics of cascara kombucha, including physical, chemical, microbiological, and sensory aspects. The study used a factorial randomized block design with two factors: carbon source type (palm sugar, honey, and xylitol) and carbon source concentration (10%, 15%, and 20%). Cascara kombucha was fermented for six days at room temperature with observation of pH, color, total soluble solids, total phenolic content, total microbes, and sensory characteristics. The data obtained was analyzed using variance analysis (ANOVA) and LSD test. The best treatment will be selected using the Zeleny technique of Multiple Criteria Decision Making method. The results show that the type and concentration of carbon source has a significant influence on the chemical and sensory properties of kombucha cascara. Cascara kombucha made with white sugar (control), palm sugar, and honey are fermented successfully. On the contrary, kombucha with xylitol tended to have a lower total decrease in soluble solids, suggesting that xylitol could not be fully metabolized by the microorganisms involved in fermentation. Best treatment cascara kombucha with 15% (w/v) palm sugar treatment has characteristics of pH value 4.03- total microbes 9.1 x 10^9 CFU/ml- lightness value (L*) 27.0- a* value 6.2- b* value 7.7- total soluble solids 14.1 degree Brix. Advanced research is suggested to explore the biological activity of kombucha cascara.
