DEVELOPMENT OF NATA DE MOLASSES FROM SUGARCANE MOLASSES AS A VALUE-ADDED PRODUCT OF THE SUGAR INDUSTRY

Abstract

Sugarcane molasses is one of the major by-products generated during sugar manufacturing and contains high concentrations of fermentable sugars, making it a promising raw material for developing value-added food products. Despite its nutritional potential, the utilization of molasses in Indonesia remains limited and is predominantly directed toward ethanol production, animal feed, and fertilizer. One alternative approach to increasing its economic value is the production of nata de molasses through microbial fermentation using Acetobacter xylinum. This study aimed to develop nata de molasses from sugarcane molasses and evaluate its consumer acceptance through sensory analysis. Molasses was diluted, supplemented with nutrients, adjusted to the optimum pH, sterilized, inoculated with Acetobacter xylinum, and fermented under controlled conditions. The resulting nata was harvested, washed, boiled, flavored with cinnamon powder, and subjected to sensory evaluation involving 25 untrained panelists. Consumer acceptance was assessed for color, aroma, taste, texture, and overall preference using a five-point hedonic scale. Market research and production cost analyses were also conducted to evaluate the commercial potential of the developed product. The sensory evaluation indicated that the formulation containing 25% molasses achieved the highest overall acceptability, particularly in terms of taste and texture. The addition of cinnamon successfully reduced the characteristic odor of molasses while improving flavor acceptability. Furthermore, the product demonstrated promising commercial potential due to the low cost and high availability of sugarcane molasses as a raw material. These findings suggest that nata de molasses represents an innovative strategy for increasing the value of sugar industry by-products while providing an alternative functional food product with favorable consumer acceptance.