Kombucha Fermentation from Cascara with Addition of Red Dragon Fruit (Hylocereus polyrhizus): Analysis of Alcohol Content and Total Soluble Solid

Abstract

Dried coffee skin (cascara) can be used as a raw material for making kombucha because it still contains a number of important nutrients. The addition of fruit to kombucha fermentation is currently widely used to get the sensation of carbonated drinks but has the potential to increase the alcohol content. In connection with the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) fatwa regarding the halalness of food/beverarge containing alcohol, the alcohol content in kombucha fermentation with the addition of fruit needs special attention. This study aims to examine the alcohol content and total soluble solid of kombucha made from casacara with the addition of dragon fruit with different fermentation times. This study used a factorial randomized block design consisting of 2 (two) factors, the fruit treatment used (P), consisting of 2 levels, P1 = fruit slices and P2 = fruit juice. The second factor is the second fermentation time (L), consisting of 4 levels, namely: L1 = 2 days, L2 = 4 days, L3 = 6 days and L4 = 8 days. The results showed that fruit treatment (P) had a very significant effect on the ethanol content of kombucha cascara. The length of fermentation has a very significant effect on the ethanol content and total soluble solids of kombucha cascara. The interaction of the two treatments had a very significant effect on the alcohol content of kombucha cascara. The alcohol content of kombucha cascara with the addition of dragon fruit ranged from 0.60-1.31% with an average of 0.84% and the total soluble solids ranged from 9.87-11° Brix with an average of 10.42° Brix. The alcohol content of kombucha cascara is still higher than the minimum alcohol content stipulated by MUI Fatwa No. 10 of 2018. Further research is needed to reduce the alcohol content of kombucha with fruit added in the second fermentation.

Alcohol content and chemical characteristics of fermented beverages in Aceh Province-Indonesia

“…kombucha with grape and dragon fruit (FD5 and FD6) produces higher alcohol. This result is in accordance with the research of Muzaifa et al [6] which showed that alcohol kombucha increased with the addition of fruit. This is due to the presence of sugar in the fruit which can be easily used by yeast to produce alcohol.…”

“…10 of 2018 has stipulated that the alcohol content in fermented beverages is below 0.5%. The results of a recent study by Muzaifa et al [6] stated that kombucha cascara added with dragon fruit contains an average of more than 0.5% alcohol. Thus, the production of processed variants of fermented drinks with the addition of fruit, which is increasingly being carried out by producers today, needs to be controlled for the alcohol content so that it can meet halal regulations.…”