The Effect of Fermentation Time on the Quality of Tempe Chips

Made Astawan^1, , Shidqiyya Aufan Nada¹, Rahmi Naily Maghfiroh¹, Zuraidah Nasution² and Andi Early Febrinda³

¹Divison of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia

²Department of Community Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine and Nutrition, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia

³Department of Food Quality Assurance Supervisor, College of Vocational Studies, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia

Cite this paper:
Made Astawan, Shidqiyya Aufan Nada, Rahmi Naily Maghfiroh, Zuraidah Nasution and Andi Early Febrinda. The Effect of Fermentation Time on the Quality of Tempe Chips. Journal of Food and Nutrition Research. 2026; 14(4):119-125. doi: 10.12691/jfnr-14-4-1

Abstract

Tempe chips are a type of processed tempe popular in Indonesia, including conventional tempe chips, tapioca tempe chips, and kemul tempe chips. The research aims to analyze the effect of variations in tempe fermentation time on the quality of the chips produced. The tempe fermentation times (36, 42, 48, 56, and 60 hours at room temperature) were analyzed for the physical, chemical, and sensory quality of conventional tempe chips. The results showed that the length of tempe fermentation time tended to reduce color intensity, ash and carbohydrate contents, and to increase a_w, moisture, and protein contents of tempe chips. Amino acid analysis in tempe chips showed fluctuating results in the bitter taste profile (arginine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, methionine, phenylalanine, valine, and tyrosine), and there was an increasing trend in the umami taste profile, namely aspartic and glutamic acids. Sensory tests using the RATA method showed that the length of tempe fermentation time had no significant effect (p > 0.05) on the intensity of the nutty, beany, garlic, spice, orange leaves, and oil aroma; umami, salty, beany, and nutty taste; golden brown color; crispiness; bitter and beany aftertaste of tempe chips. The recommendation of this study is to make tempe chips from 48 hours of fermentation, because it is close to the ideal attribute. This finding has the potential to support the development of value-added processed tempe products for soy-based agroindustry businesses.

Keywords:
chemical fermentation RATA sensory tempe chips

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