PEMANFAATAN LIDAH BUAYA (Aloe Vera) SEBAGAI BAHAN DASAR PRODUK OLAHAN MINUMAN FUNGSIONAL FERMENTASI YANG KAYA ANTIOKSIDAN DAN RENDAH GULA

Aloe vera fermented beverage is a potential functional food product because it contains bioactive compounds such as phenolics and flavonoids which act as antioxidants. Fermentation requires the addition of sugar as a substrate for microbial growth; however, different types of sugar may influence the microbiological, chemical, bioactive characteristics, as well as consumer acceptance of the product. This study aimed to determine the effect of different sugar types on the quality of aloe vera fermented beverage and to identify the best treatment using the De Garmo method. The research employed a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with four sugar treatments: P1 (granulated sugar), P2 (brown sugar), P3 (honey), and P4 (stevia). The parameters observed included Total Plate Count (TPC), pH, sugar content, antioxidant activity, total flavonoid content, total phenolic content, and organoleptic evaluation (color, aroma, taste, and texture). Data were analyzed using ANOVA followed by the DMRT test at a 5% significance level. The results showed that sugar type had a significant effect (P<0.05) on all observed parameters. Treatment P1 produced the highest TPC and OD values and the lowest pH, indicating stronger fermentation activity, while treatment P4 produced the clearest beverage and achieved higher acceptance for aroma and texture. Treatment P3 (honey) resulted in the best bioactive properties, including the highest antioxidant activity, total flavonoid, and total phenolic content, and also showed the highest taste acceptance. Based on the De Garmo method (effectiveness index), the best treatment was P3 (honey), as it yielded the highest effectiveness value and the most optimal overall quality of aloe vera fermented beverage.