PENGARUH PENAMBAHAN GULA DAN STARTER TERHADAP KARAKTERISTIK MINUMAN TEH KOMBUCHA DAUN GAMBIR (Uncaria gambir Roxb) (The Effect of Addition of Sugar and Starter on Kombucha Drink Characteristics of Gambir Leaf Tea (Uncar - M. Bobby Kurniawan; Sentosa Ginting; Mimi Nurminah (Jurnal Rekayasa Pangan dan Pertanian, 2017)
ABSTRACT Kombucha tea is a traditional fermented beverage product of tea and sugar solution using kombucha starter culture (Acetobacter xylinum and some types of yeast such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae) after fermented for 7-12 days. This research was conducted using completely randomized design with two factors i. e, the addition of sugar (G) (6%, 8%, 10%, 12%) and the addition of starter (S): (2%, 4% , 6%, 8%). Parameters analyzed were total acid (%), value of  pH, total solube solid (oBrix), vitamin C (mg/100 g of material), total microbial (CFU/ml), organoleptic value of color, flavor, and taste. The results showed that the interaction between addition of sugar and starter had a highly significant effect (P<0,01) on total acid (%). The increasing addition of sugar increased the total acid, total soluble solid, vitamin C, total microbial, and hedonic value of taste but decreased the value of pH, and hedonic value of color. The increasing addition of starter increased the total acid, vitamin C, and total microbial,  but decreased the value of pH, total soluble solid, hedonic value of color, flavor, and taste. The addition of 12% sugar and 2% starter produced the best kombucha drink from gambir leaf tea. Keywords: fermentation, gambir leaf,kombucha, sugar, tea. ABSTRAK Teh Kombucha merupakan produk minuman tradisional hasil fermentasi larutan teh dan gula dengan menggunakan starter mikroba kombucha (Acetobacter xylinum dan beberapa jenis khamir, seperti Saccharomyces cerevisiae) yang di fermentasi selama 7-12 hari.Penelitian ini dilakukan dengan menggunakan rancangan acak lengkap (RAL), yang terdiri dari dua faktor, yaitupenambahangula (G) : (6%,  8%, 10%, 12%) dan penambahan starter (S) :(2%, 4%,6%,8%). Parameter yang dianalisis meliputi total asam (%), nilai pH, total soluble solid (oBrix), kadar vitamin C (mg/100 g bahan), total mikroba (CFU/ml), uji organoleptik hedonik warna, aroma, dan rasa. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa interaksi kedua perlakuan memberikan pengaruh berbeda sangat nyata (P<0,01) terhadap total asam (%).Peningkatan penambahan gula dapat meningkatkan total asam, total soluble solidkadar vitamin C, total mikrobadan nilai hedonik rasa tetapi menurunkan nilai pH, dannilai hedonik warna. Peningkatan penambahan starter dapat meningkatkan total asam,kadar vitamin C, dan total mikroba,tetapi menurunkan nilai pH, total soluble solid,nilai hedonik warna, nilai hedonik aroma, dan nilai hedonik rasa. Penambahan gula 12% dan penambahan starter 2% menghasilkan minuman teh kombucha daun gambir terbaik.   Kata kunci: daun gambir, fermentasi, gula, kombucha,teh.