Physical Profile of Shrimp Paste (Mysis relicta) Powder with Varying Drying Times

Rebon shrimp paste (Mysis relicta) is known for its savory taste, high nutritional content, and characteristic reddish-brown color. However, it also has some drawbacks, including inconsistent quality, a semi-wet texture, impracticality in handling, and a relatively short shelf life. To address these issues, one solution is to modify wet shrimp paste into value-added products, such as shrimp paste powder. Shrimp paste powder is produced by drying the paste using an oven at specific temperatures and for varying durations. This study aims to determine the effect of different drying times on the physical, chemical, and sensory characteristics of the powder. Additionally, the study seeks to identify the best treatment based on the drying time that yields the highest quality shrimp paste powder. The study employed a Completely Randomized Design (CRD), with each treatment repeated three times to ensure accuracy. The treatments used in the study were as follows: A1 (oven drying for 5 hours), A2 (oven drying for 6 hours), A3 (oven drying for 7 hours), and A4 (oven drying for 8 hours). The parameters observed in this study included physical analysis of color (lightness, chroma, and hue) and solubility. Based on the research, the best treatment was found to be the A4 treatment (8 hours of drying). The physical analysis of the color of shrimp paste powder showed lightness values ranging from 66.93% to 74.87%, chroma values from 7.89% to 10.54%, and hue values ranging from 6.97o to 21.79o. The solubility analysis results ranged from 62.53% to 66.31%.