DEVELOPMENT AND NUTRITIONAL EVALUATION OF SAGO GRUB PROTEIN-BASED FOODS FOR INDONESIA'S NUTRITIOUS MEAL PROGRAM: EFFECT OF PROCESSING METHODS ON NUTRITIONAL AND PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES

Abstract Berikut versi **±200 kata** yang lebih tajam, dengan fokus pada tujuan, metode, hasil kuantitatif utama, dan implikasi penelitian. Sago worms are a locally available protein source with potential for developing nutrient-dense and sustainable foods to support Indonesia’s Free Nutritious Meal Program. This study investigated the effects of air frying and oven drying on the physicochemical properties, fatty acid composition, amino acid profile, chemical structure, and microstructure of sago worms. Fresh (SG), air-fried (AF; 100 °C, 15 min), and oven-dried (OV; 60 °C, 6 h) samples were characterized using proximate analysis, GC–MS, HPLC, FTIR, and SEM. Thermal processing markedly reduced moisture from 67.23% in SG to 13.51% in AF and 12.57% in OV, resulting in higher protein, fat, and energy densities. AF produced the highest protein content (21.85%), whereas OV showed the highest fat (57.60%) and energy (629.82 kcal/100 g) contents. Oleic acid (omega-9) was prominent after processing, reaching approximately 26% in OV and 23% in AF. Glutamic acid remained the predominant amino acid, while processing altered the distribution of other amino acids. FTIR indicated preservation of major functional groups despite heat-induced changes in spectral intensity. SEM revealed transformation from a porous fresh matrix to a compact AF structure, with OV exhibiting intermediate morphology. These findings demonstrate that processing can strategically modify sago worms into nutrient-dense ingredients for sustainable food applications.