The effect of physicochemical and sensory characteristics of red and black oncom to the consumer acceptability

Oncom is an Indonesian traditional fermented food made from agro-industry waste. Despite its popularity, oncom is mainly produced on a small scale using traditional methods, which leads to varied qualities. The study aimed to determine the influence of physicochemical properties and sensory characteristics of oncom towards their sensory acceptability. The red and black oncom from three producers in Bogor, Indonesia, produced with different process conditions and materials, were subjected to color and texture analysis, proximate and amino acid composition analysis, and sensory analysis. Textural properties varied depending on the raw materials added, and color parameters were affected by the mold used. Moreover, the highest hardness was typical of black oncom, while red oncom appeared to have the highest cohesiveness, springiness, and redness. The primary content of red oncom was protein and carbohydrates, while black oncom consisted primarily of fat and protein. The amino acid content of red oncom ranged from 2.11-4.09%, while black oncom was 6.49-15.51% and was dominated by glutamic acids, which were reported to impart an umami taste. Orange color, red color, beany aroma, and umami taste were the attributes that best described red oncom. In contrast, black oncom was best described by its brown color, umami taste, and nutty aroma attributes. The acceptability of red oncom was higher than that of black oncom. Umami taste and red color were found to be drivers of liking.