Journal of Agri-Food Science and Technology

The Effect of Using Tween 80 as A Foaming Agent on Drying Corn-Yogurt Using the Foam-Mat Method

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The public's appetite for foods that are both satiating and offer distinct functional benefits has driven an increasing demand for functional foods. Corn yogurt is a type of functional food now under development. Corn yogurt is a fermented product with a relatively high moisture content and low protein content. To increase the protein content, it is fortified with spirulina and soy protein isolate. To extend its shelf life, corn yogurt is made into powder form using the foam mat drying method. This study contributes to determining the effect of Tween 80 concentration as a foaming agent on the physicochemical, functional, and sensory properties of corn-yogurt powder. Corn yogurt fortified with spirulina and soy protein isolate was dried using the foam-mat method, with maltodextrin and Tween 80 as foaming agents. The foaming agents were mixed for 8 minutes until foaming occurred, and the fortified yogurt was incorporated using the folding method. The mixture was poured onto a glass plate and dried in a cabinet dryer at 60 °C for 8 h. The dried sample was ground and sieved through 80 mesh. The dried yogurt has a protein content of 4.08–4.329%. The pH of the corn yogurt was lower than the range specified by the Indonesian National Standard (3.54–3.62); hence, this product was sourer than typical yogurts. The best corn yogurt powder was prepared with 1.75% Tween 80 and had 72.67% antioxidant activity, 133.76 µg/100 g β-carotene, and 9.22×10⁷ log CFU/g lactic acid bacteria. This fortified corn yogurt powder shows potential as an alternative functional food product because of its functional compounds and high protein content.

The Effect of Carrageenan and Konjac Proportion as Gelling Agents on the Physicochemical Characteristics and Hedonic Value of Arum Manis Mango Jelly Drink

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This study investigated the effect of carrageenan and konjac ratios as gelling agents on the physicochemical and sensory properties of Arumanis mango (Mangifera indica L.) jelly drink. Jelly drinks are increasingly popular functional beverages, but their texture and stability depend heavily on the gelling system applied. Carrageenan forms strong gel networks but is prone to syneresis, whereas konjac glucomannan improves viscosity and elasticity. Their combination is contributed to produce a stable and consumer-acceptable jelly drink. Four gelling agent ratios (100:0, 80:20, 60:40, and 40:60 carrageenan-to-konjac) were prepared in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with five replications. Parameters measured included moisture content, pH, syneresis, viscosity, and hedonic acceptance by 25 semi-trained panelists. Results showed that increasing konjac proportion significantly decreased moisture content (90.99–90.05%) and syneresis (27.87–14.59%), while enhancing viscosity (194.50–321.50 cP). The pH decreased with higher konjac levels (5.50–5.22) due to the presence of organic acids in mango interacting with konjac glucomannan. Sensory evaluation revealed that texture was significantly affected, with the 60:40 carrageenan-to-konjac ratio (P2) achieving the highest acceptance for chewiness and ease of sipping. Color, taste, and aroma showed no significant differences across treatments, although mango aroma dominated the product profile. Overall, the combination of carrageenan and konjac demonstrated a synergistic effect in improving stability and consumer preference. The 60:40 ratio was identified as the most favorable formulation. This research contributes to the development of functional jelly drinks based on tropical fruits.

Optimization and Interaction Effects of a Traditional Antioxidant Polyherbal Drink using Design Expert

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A polyherbal drink consisting of ginger, aromatic ginger, turmeric and rice starch is utilized by the people of Baturraden, Central Java, to treat masuk angin. This study contributed to optimize the ratio of the component crude drugs for obtaining a formulation with most favorable antioxidant properties. Twenty formulations were prepared by mixing powdered ginger, aromatic ginger, turmeric, and rice starch in different weight ratios. Each formulation was extracted using the decoction method for 30 minutes, with a crude drug-to-water ratio of 1:20. The extracts were subjected to the standard total flavonoid content (TFC), total phenolic content (TPC), and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity assays. The TFC, TPC, and DPPH scavenging activity was used as the response for predicting the interaction effect and optimal composition of the formulation by simplex lattice design (LSD). The results showed that the highest TFC, TPC, and DPPH scavenging activity was observed in Formula 8 (turmeric only, 10.0 ± 0.01 mg QE/g), Formula 3 (a combination of equal ratios of ginger and turmeric, 9.01 ± 0.01 mg GAE/g), and Formula 10 (rice starch only, 333.76 ± 0.04 mmol TE/g), respectively. The antagonistic interaction effect on the DPPH scavenging activity was observed in most formulations. A synergistic effect was only predicted to occur in a combination of ginger, aromatic ginger, and turmeric. The incorporation of rice starch into the formulations resulted in an antagonistic interaction. These findings support the refinement of traditional polyherbal drinks by optimizing crude drug ratios to enhance antioxidant potential.

Development and Application of an Edible Coating from Avocado Seed Starch (Persea americana Mill.) and Vetiver Root Extract (Vetiveria zizanioides L.) for Food Quality Preservation

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The increasing use of non-degradable plastic packaging has raised serious environmental concerns, highlighting the need for biodegradable alternatives such as starch-based edible coatings. Avocado seed starch (Persea americana Mill.) represents a promising renewable raw material; however, starch-based coatings suffer from poor water resistance and susceptibility to microbial growth. Therefore, Vetiveria zizanioides L. was incorporated as a natural antimicrobial agent. This study contributed to characterize the physical properties of the edible coating and evaluate its performance when applied to strawberries and dodol. The methods included starch and extract preparation, coating formulation, physical characterization, and application tests. The edible coatings were fabricated using avocado seed starch with vetiver root extract at concentrations of 0%, 3%, 5%, and 7%. Subsequently, characterization tests were conducted, including thickness, solubility, and elasticity tests, as well as an application test on food products, which are strawberries and dodol. The results indicate that the edible coating containing 7% vetiver root extract had the highest film thickness and solubility, while the 5% vetiver root extract had the highest elasticity. Moreover, the application test of an edible coating containing 7% vetiver root extract on strawberries showed the highest effectiveness in preserving the physical condition for up to 7 days, while the application test on dodol showed the highest effectiveness in preserving the physical condition for up to 7 weeks. These findings indicate the potential of an edible coating made from avocado seed starch and vetiver root extract as an environmentally friendly food coating to preserve the quality of food products.