The Effect Of Starter Concentration Variation (Rhizopus oligosporus) On The Quality of Virgin Coconut Oil

Abstrak

Coconut is an agricultural commodity with significant development potential, as it can be processed into various high-value products, one of which is Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO). VCO can be produced through a fermentation method by adding tempeh yeast (Rhizopus oligosporus), which plays a role in breaking down the coconut milk emulsion, thereby facilitating the oil separation process. This study aimed to determine the effect of varying concentrations of tempeh yeast on the quality of Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) produced through the fermentation method. The research was conducted using an experimental method with a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) consisting of one factor, namely variations in tempeh yeast concentration at 0.2%, 1.1%, and 2%, with a fermentation time of 36 hours. The quality parameters analyzed included yield, color, aroma, taste, moisture content, and free fatty acid (FFA) content. The data obtained were statistically analyzed to determine the effect of treatments on VCO quality. The results showed that variations in tempeh yeast concentration had a significant effect on the aroma and yield of VCO, but did not significantly affect color and taste. The highest yield was obtained at the 2% tempeh yeast treatment, reaching 26.8%. The concentration of tempeh yeast also affected the moisture content of VCO, with the lowest moisture content observed at the 2% treatment. All treatments met the requirements of the Indonesian National Standard (SNI 7381:2022), with a maximum moisture content limit of 0.2%. The free fatty acid (FFA) content tended to increase with higher tempeh yeast concentrations, with the lowest value obtained at the 0.2% treatment (0.066%). All treatments remained within the acceptable limits of SNI 7381:2022. Based on these results, the 2% tempeh yeast treatment was determined to be the best treatment, as it produced the highest yield and lowest moisture content while maintaining chemical quality in accordance with the established standard.