<![CDATA[This study evaluated the effects of different combinations of granulated palm sugar (gula semut) and sodium chloride (NaCl) on the physicochemical and sensory quality of pork dendeng. A completely randomized design (CRD) with three treatments and five replications (3×5) was applied. Treatments were formulated on a meat-weight basis (w/w): A1 (2.5% gula semut + 7.5% NaCl), A2 (5.0% gula semut + 5.0% NaCl), and A3 (7.5% gula semut + 2.5% NaCl). For each replication, 200 g pork ham was ground (5 mm plate), mixed with the assigned ingredients, rested at 4 °C for 12–24 h, and dried in a cabinet oven at 80 °C for 11 h. Moisture content (AOAC 950.46), pH, water-holding capacity (WHC; press method), and cooking loss were measured. Sensory acceptance (color, aroma, texture, and taste) was evaluated by 25 untrained panelists using a five-point hedonic scale. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA followed by BNJ (Tukey’s HSD) at P < 0.05. The formulation significantly affected WHC and cooking loss. Treatment A2 produced the highest WHC (19.51%) and the lowest cooking loss (40.90%), indicating improved water retention and thermal yield compared with A1 and A3 (P < 0.05). pH values (6.61–6.69) and hedonic scores for all sensory attributes did not differ significantly among treatments (P > 0.05). Overall, a balanced gula semut–NaCl formulation (5%:5%) is recommended to enhance pork dendeng processing performance while maintaining acceptable sensory quality. Keywords: cooking loss; gula semut; pork dendeng; sodium chloride; water-holding capacity]]>
