The effect of soybean substitution with pigeon peas (cajanus cajan) on physical  characteristics, antioxidant properties, nutrient content, and sensory characteristics of tempeh

Rini Widyastuti; Budi Setiawan; Zuraidah Nasution; Made Astawan

doi:10.21927/ijnd.2025.0(0).%p

The effect of soybean substitution with pigeon peas (cajanus cajan) on physical characteristics, antioxidant properties, nutrient content, and sensory characteristics of tempeh

Rini Widyastuti, Budi Setiawan, Zuraidah Nasution, Made Astawan

Abstract

ABSTRAK

Latar Belakang: Kacang gude (Cajanus cajan) memiliki kandungan komponen bioaktif yang tinggi, namun pemanfaatannya dalam produk fermentasi seperti tempe masih terbatas.

Tujuan: Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengevaluasi pengaruh substitusi kedelai dengan kacang gude terhadap sifat fisik, komponen bioaktif, kandungan gizi, bioaksesibilitas mineral, dan sifat sensori tempe.

Metode: Tempe dibuat dengan variasi rasio kacang gude dan kedelai (F1: 60:40, F2: 50:50, F3: 40:60) menggunakan rancangan acak lengkap (RAL) dengan tiga ulangan. Sifat fisik yang dianalisis meliputi pertumbuhan miselium, daya iris, analisis warna dan rendemen. Komponen bioaktif meliputi analisis total kandungan flavonoid, fenolik, serta dengan metode penghambatan DPPH. Kandungan gizi dianalisis yakni kandungan serat total dan kandungan zat besi serta bio aksesibilitasnya. Sifat sensoris tempe dianalisis dengan uji hedonik menggunakan 35 panelis semi terlatih untuk memperoleh formula yang paling banyak disukai. Selanjutnya dilakukan uji deskriptif dengan metode konsensus pada formula terpilih.

Hasil: Semua formula tempe berhasil dikembangkan yang ditunjukkan dengan sifat fisik yang baik, termasuk pertumbuhan miselium, warna putih, dan tekstur yang kompak. Tempe substitusi kacang gude menunjukkan penurunan kecerahan dan peningkatan daya iris seiring bertambahnya proporsi kacang gude. Selain itu terdapat peningkatan kandungan total flavonoid, fenolik serta antioksidan seiring peningkatan kandungan kacang gude. Analisis kandungan gizi menunjukkan terjadi penurunan signifikan kandungan serat total pada F3 (40:60). Kadar zat besi (Fe) antar formula tidak menunjukkan perbedaan yang signifikan, namun bioaksesibilitas Fe menurun signifikan seiring peningkatan rasio kacang gude. Uji kesukaan menunjukkan penurunan signifikan pada F3 (40:60), sehingga formula F2 (50:50) dipilih untuk uji deskripsi. Tempe substitusi kacang gude segar memiliki aroma fermentasi yang dominan, namun proses penggorengan dapat mengurangi intensitasnya.

Kesimpulan: Penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa substitusi kedelai dengan kacang gude berpotensi meningkatkan nilai fungsional tempe, khususnya potensi antioksidan dengan tetap mempertahankan penerimaan sensori, sehingga berpotensi sebagai bahan alternatif yang dapat dikembangkan pada pembuatan tempe.

KATA KUNCI: antioksidan; fermentasi; kacang gude; kedelai; tempe

ABSTRACT

Background: Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) recognized for its high content of bioactive compounds; however, its application in fermented products, such as tempeh, remains underexplored.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of substituting soybeans with pigeon peas on the bioactive components, mineral bioaccessibility, and sensory properties of tempeh.

Methods: A completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications was employed, using different soybean-to-pigeon pea ratios: F1(60:40), F2(50:50), F3 (40:60).. The physical properties analyzed included mycelial growth, cutting force, color analysis, and yield. Bioactive components evaluated through total phenolic and flavonoid content, and antioxidant activity using the DPPH radical scavenging assay. Nutritional analysis covered total dietary fiber, iron content, and their bioaccessibility. Sensory evaluation involved a hedonic test with 35 semi-trained panelists to determine the most preferred formulation, followed by a descriptive sensory analysis using the consensus method.

Results: All tempeh formulas were successfully developed, exhibiting good physical properties, including mycelium growth, white color, and compact texture. The tempeh samples demonstrated decreased lightness and increased cutting force with the addition of pigeon peas. The results indicated that increasing the proportion of pigeon peas significantly enhanced total antioxidant activity, total phenolic content, and flavonoid levels (p < 0.05). Nutrient analysis showed total fiber content significantly decreased in F3 (40:60). Iron (Fe) levels remained consistent across formulations (8.55 to 8.92 mg/100 g); however, Fe bioaccessibility significantly declined with higher pigeon pea ratios. The acceptance test revealed a notable decrease in acceptability for F3 (40:60), leading to the selection of F2 (50:50) for descriptive analysis. Fresh tempe substituted pigeon peas exhibited a dominant fermentation aroma, which was subsequently mitigated by the frying process.

Conclusions: These findings suggest that soybean substitution with pigeon peas can enhance the functional value of tempeh, especially its antioxidant potential, without compromising sensory quality, presenting a promising alternative for further tempeh development.

KEYWORD: antioxidants, fermentation, pigeon pea, soybean, tempeh

Article submitted on May 08, 2025; Articles revised on May 26, 2025; Articles received on August 08, 2025; Articles available online on November 28, 2025

Keywords

antioksidan; fermentasi; kacang gude; kedelai; tempe; antioxidants, fermentation, pigeon pea, soybean, tempeh

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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.21927/ijnd.2025.0(0).%25p