Changes in Volatile Components and Sugar Content of Arenga Sap (Arenga pinnata Sap) during the Ohmic Heating Process

This research examines the changes in volatile components and sugar content in arenga sap (AS) through the ohmic heating process to produce arenga sap liquid sugar (ASLS). Ohmic heating was performed under various treatments of frequency, voltage, power, and heating time. Meanwhile, AS is frozen sap that has been evaluated with an initial pH of 6 and a total soluble solid (TSS) of 12%, indicating normal fragrance and taste characteristics. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS) was employed to analyze volatile components, while high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was employed to quantify sugar content. According to the research findings, the volatile compound content in AS is primarily composed of ester compounds with diverse derivative components, including N-Heterocyclic (pyrazines), Aldehydes, Ketones, Phenols, and even siloxanes. Despite the fact that the types of volatile components vary in each treatment with ohmic heating, most of them are more complex than AS prior to the heating procedure. Although the sugar was subjected to high temperatures and electric currents during the ohmic heating process, the sugar composition of AS and ASLS did not undergo a significant change, suggesting that sugar degradation did not occur in a drastic manner.