Hubungan Profil Sensori dengan Sifat Fisikokimia Produk Kecap Manis Indonesia

Abstract

Kecap merupakan salah satu produk fermentasi yang banyak dikonsumsi oleh masyarakat Asia dan popularitasnya sudah mencapai masyarakat Eropa. Dalam perkembangannya di Indonesia, kecap dikenal sebagai kecap asin dan kecap manis. Kecap manis lebih banyak digunakan sebagai penambah citarasa makanan dan masakan sehari-hari oleh masyarakat Indonesia. Aroma dan citarasa kecap manis yang khas membuat kecap diterima luas sebagai bumbu masak dalam budaya kuliner Indonesia sehingga kecap manis terus berkembang dan dikenal sebagai produk tradisional Indonesia.

Soy sauce is one of the most popular fermentation products and largely consumed in Asia. Its popularity has reached Europe. Soy sauce in Indonesia can be classified into to salt soy sauce and sweet soy sauce. Sweet soy sauce is used daily as a flavor enhancer in Indonesia. The unique flavor and taste of sweet soy sauce makes it widely accepted as one of the seasonings in Indonesian culinary culture. As a popular and most preferred product in Indonesia most of sauce based on Indonesian consumer’s acceptance. Although many variants of sweet soy sauces are available in the market, there is a limited publication regarding the sensory profile describing the characters of sweet soy sauces. Therefore it is necessary to study the relationship between the sensory profiles and physicochemical properties of commercial soy sauce. The sensory attributes of sweet soy sauce consist of color, flavor, taste, and consistency or viscosity. These attributes are affected by many factor such as the raw material, the production process, and the chemical substance of the sweet soy sauce. Physicochemical properties that influenced by ingredients and process will interact with human sense and form consumer preference or acceptance. Based on that ground, physicochemical properties of soy sauce need to be investigated in accordance to sensory profile and consumer acceptance. The purpose of this study was to study the relationships between consumer preference, sensory profile, and physicochemical properties of Indonesian commercial sweet soy sauce.