Evaluasi Karakteristik Sensori Produk Susu Bubuk pada Berbagai Umur Simpan Menggunakan Metode Quantitative Descriptive Analysis (QDA) di PT XYZ

Abstract

Susu bubuk merupakan produk dengan kadar air rendah yang rentan mengalami perubahan karakteristik sensori selama penyimpanan, seperti pada atribut warna, aroma, dan rasa. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengevaluasi perubahan karakteristik sensori produk susu bubuk dengan berbagai umur simpan menggunakan metode Quantitative Descriptive Analysis (QDA). Metode ini melibatkan panelis terlatih yang menilai intensitas atribut sensori pada tiga titik umur simpan, yaitu awal (0-3 bulan), pertengahan (9-12 bulan), dan akhir (18-21 bulan) penyimpanan. Pengujian dilakukan menggunakan rancangan reversed storage design sehingga seluruh sampel dengan lama penyimpanan berbeda dapat diuji secara bersamaan. Data hasil QDA dianalisis untuk mengidentifikasi atribut-atribut sensori yang mengalami perubahan signifikan selama penyimpanan dan menggambarkan pola dinamika mutu sensori produk. Hasil menunjukkan bahwa atribut milky dan creamy menurun, sedangkan atribut off-flavor seperti fishy, cardboard, rancid, dan apek meningkat seiring bertambahnya umur simpan. Analisis Principal Component Analysis (PCA) menunjukkan bahwa perubahan sensori didominasi oleh pergeseran dari karakter khas susu menuju karakter degradasi. Perbedaan antar produk menunjukkan bahwa komposisi bahan baku memengaruhi stabilitas sensori selama penyimpanan. Penelitian ini menyimpulkan bahwa QDA mampu mengidentifikasi dinamika perubahan sensori dan bahwa atribut off-flavor dapat digunakan sebagai indikator utama dalam pengendalian mutu serta penentuan umur simpan optimal produk di PT XYZ.

Milk powder is a low-moisture product that is prone to sensory changes during storage, particularly in color, aroma, and taste attributes. This study aims to evaluate sensory characteristic changes in milk powder products at different storage periods using the Quantitative Descriptive Analysis (QDA) method. The method involved trained panelists who assessed the intensity of sensory attributes at three storage stages: initial, middle, and final. The evaluation was conducted using a reversed storage design, allowing all samples with different storage durations to be analyzed simultaneously. Data obtained from QDA were analyzed to identify sensory attributes that changed significantly over time and to describe the pattern of sensory quality dynamics. The results showed a decrease in positive attributes such as milky and creamy, along with an increase in off-flavor attributes including fishy, cardboard, rancid, and musty over storage time. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) indicated that sensory changes were mainly characterized by a shift from typical milk attributes to degradation-related attributes. Differences among products suggest that raw material composition influences sensory stability during storage. Overall, this study confirms that QDA is able to identifying sensory changes and that off-flavor attributes can serve as key indicators for quality control and optimal shelf-life determination of milk powder products at PT XYZ.