UTILIZATION OF PEDADA MANGROVE FRUITS (Sonneratia sp.) IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF FRUIT JUICE DRINKS WITH CARRAGEENAN AS A STABILIZER

Abstract

Pedada mangrove fruits (Sonneratia sp.) have high nutritional content, but their utilization remains limited due to their sour taste which is less preferred by consumers. This study aimed to analyze the effect of carrageenan addition as a stabilizer on the chemical characteristics of pedada fruit juice drinks and determine the optimal concentration. The research method used an experimental approach with carrageenan concentration variations of 0%, 0.1%, 0.3%, and 0.5% (w/v). Evaluation included organoleptic tests using 25 semi-trained panelists with a hedonic scale of 1-9 for color, aroma, texture, and taste parameters, as well as chemical analysis including pH, vitamin C, and antioxidant activity (DPPH, ABTS, FRAP). Organoleptic data were analyzed using Friedman test followed by multiple comparison test, while chemical data were analyzed descriptively. Results showed that 0.3% carrageenan addition provided the highest preference level for all organoleptic parameters, particularly texture which increased significantly from 5.48 to 7.08. Chemical analysis revealed that 0.3% carrageenan maintained stable pH at 4, increased vitamin C content from 17.61 mg/100ml to 21.49 mg/100ml, and improved ABTS antioxidant activity with IC₅₀ value decreasing from 125.93 ppm to 77.40 ppm. Carrageenan at 0.3% concentration represents the optimal stabilizer concentration for producing high-quality pedada fruit juice drinks with preferred sensory characteristics and maintained nutritional value.