Utilization of Seaweed (Kappaphycus alvarezii) Flour as Filler in Making Tempeh Nugget

Abstract

Tempeh is high protein food product and has a distinctive soybean aroma which is less favorable. Tempeh can be processed into preferred food such as tempeh nugget. Tempeh has a soft texture, so it is necessary to add filler to improve the texture. The fillers are commonly used are cassava flour, wheat flour, and corn starch. Seaweed flour has high in dietary fiber are used as filler for nugget. The purpose of this research was to substitute cassava flour with10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50% seaweed flour and 0% as control nugget. Physical testing was carried out on each tempeh nugget. Storage testing was carried out on 3 (three) types of tempeh nugget (0% control nuggets without preservatives, 0% control nuggets with preservatives, and the best formulation nugget without preservatives). Tempeh nugget with substitution 50% of seaweed flour was chosen as the best formulation which has the most similar texture, color, and frying shrinkage, compare to commercial chicken nugget and also resulted in higher value 9.88% of fiber, while 0% control tempeh nugget 4.24%. Storage test in the freezer (-20°C) showed that nuggets with 50% seaweed flour substitution could not maintain the physical quality of tempeh nuggets in one week compared to control nugget.