Effect of Pediococcus acidilactici bioaugmentation on the quality improvement of milkfish (Chanos chanos) Bekasam

Bekasam is a traditional Indonesian fermented food usually composed of freshwater fish, salt, steamed rice as a carbohydrate source, and garlic, prepared by spontaneous fermentation for approximately one week up to 1 month, which gives it a distinctive scent and flavor. Milkfish is commonly used as a main ingredient due to its popularity in certain areas and the many possible variations of Bekasam. This study investigated the effect of Pediococcus acidilactici bioaugmentation on the quality of Bekasam. During the 12 days of production, the spontaneous milkfish Bekasam (SMB) was compared to the milkfish Bekasam with the addition of P. acidilactici (PAMB). The starter significantly impacted the properties of Bekasam, giving it a slightly brown appearance as a results of Maillard reaction and increasing the protein content (P<0.05), indicating proteolytic activity during fermentation which directly affects the flavor and texture of the end product. The considerably increased protein content was a result of the lengthy fermentation period. Additionally, the fermentation starter resulted in a lower total plate count and increased growth of lactic acid bacteria than the non-starter (P<0.05) Bekasam. Furthermore, the total sugar concentration reduced as fermentation progressed, indicating that the starter and the length of the fermentation period play a role in enhancing Bekasam’s quality and health-related properties.