KEBERADAAN BAKTERI ASAM LAKTAT PADA OLAHAN KECAP TETELAN TUNA (Thunnus sp) SELAMA PROSES FERMENTASI

Abstract

Fish sauce is a food product made through a fermentation process from fish or fish waste. It has a distinctive taste and aroma as well as a long shelf life. Lactic acid bacteria activity is a crucial factor in the fermentation process. This study investigates the presence of lactic acid bacteria in processed tuna fish sauce (Thunnus sp) during the fermentation process. The research method used in this study is experimental, with a fermentation temperature of 50°C, various concentrations of papain enzyme treatment (A), including A1 (0%), A2 (9%), A3 (12%), and A4 (15%), different salt concentrations (B), including B1 (8%) and B2 (10%), and varying fermentation durations (C), including C0 (0 days), C1 (6 days), and C2 (12 days). The research results show that an increase in the total lactic acid bacteria (LAB) can lead to a more acidic fermentation condition, which inhibits the growth of other bacteria. Fish sauce with the addition of 15% papain enzyme hydrolyzes faster compared to the addition of 9% papain enzyme. This difference is due to variations in enzyme concentration, which can accelerate the hydrolysis process. Papain contains proteolytic enzymes that can break down proteins, softening the meat. The longer the fermentation process, the higher the growth of lactic acid bacteria, mainly due to the use of enzyme and salt concentrations.