Optimising Non-Thermal Acid Maturation of Giant Gourami (Osphronemus gouramy) as a Novel Food Processing Technology
Purpose of the study: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of citrus acid formulation and immersion duration on the acid-induced maturation of giant gourami (Osphronemus gouramy) as a preliminary approach to standardizing traditional Dekke Naniura processing.
Methodology: A laboratory-based semi-controlled experimental design was applied using fresh gourami fillets immersed in organic acids derived from lime (Citrus aurantiifolia) and lemon (Citrus limon) juices at different ratios and immersion times. Maturation progression was evaluated using a semi-quantitative visual index (0–100%) based on color transformation and flesh firmness, with all treatments conducted in triplicate and reported as mean ± SD. The pH of citrus formulations was measured before immersion, and treatment effects were analyzed using one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s HSD test.
Main Findings: The optimal condition was a formulation containing 75% lime juice and 25% lemon juice with an immersion duration of 1,140 minutes, achieving 96% maturation. This treatment produced homogeneous myofibrillar protein denaturation, uniform colour transformation, and increased flesh firmness under non-thermal conditions. Single-acid treatments showed slower and less uniform maturation, indicating a synergistic effect of mixed citrus acids. The dense muscle fibre structure and high myofibrillar protein content of gourami contributed to enhanced structural stability during maturation. Statistical analyses confirmed significant differences among treatments at most immersion times.
Novelty/Originality of this study: This study contributes a preliminary semi-quantitative maturation index for evaluating citrus-based non-thermal maturation of giant gourami and identifies a mixed lime–lemon formulation as the most effective treatment under the tested laboratory conditions.
Downloads
Manik, M., J. Kaban, J. Silalahi, and M. Ginting, “Proximate and amino acid composition of Dengke Naniura prepared from carp (Cyprinus carpio) of Lake Toba, Indonesia,” J. Phys. Conf. Ser., vol. 1232, Art. no. 012013, 2019, doi: 10.1088/1742-6596/1232/1/012013.
A. Mualimin, K. Kimleang, and H. J. Jo, “Quantitative evaluation of oxidation time, dilute acid concentration and acid type on indigo yield from Indigofera leaves: An ethnochemical approach to sustainable batik dyeing,” J. Chem. Learn. Innov., vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 206–217, 2025, doi: 10.37251/jocli.v2i2.2845.
I. F. Pakpahan, S. Sumardianto, and A. S. Fahmi, “Pengaruh lama waktu perendaman bumbu yang berbeda terhadap karakteristik Naniura ikan mas (Cyprinus carpio) [The effect of different soaking times on the characteristics of Naniura carp (Cyprinus carpio)],” J. Ilmu Teknol. Perikan., vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 7–12, Dec. 2020, doi: 10.14710/jitpi.2020.9635.
M. A. Wahyudi and S.-J. Lin, “Integrating financial literacy, financial technology, and MSME performance with moderated networking to support sustainable production methods,” Integr. Sci. Educ. J., vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 45–54, 2025, doi: 10.37251/isej.v7i1.2135.
P. Tambunan, “Kekuatan bisnis ‘Dekke Naniura’, keunikan kuliner tradisional suku Batak (Toba) di Provinsi Sumatera Utara, Pulau Sumatera, Indonesia [The business power of 'Dekke Naniura', the unique traditional culinary delights of the Batak (Toba) tribe in North Sumatra Province, Sumatra Island, Indonesia],” J. Hutan Trop., vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 387–396, Aug. 2021, doi: 10.20527/jht.v9i2.11290.
F. E. B. Souza, S. Rodrigues, and T. V. Fonteles, “Non-thermal technologies in food fermentation: Mechanisms, benefits, and industrial perspectives for sustainable development,” Processes, vol. 13, no. 9, Art. no. 2988, 2025, doi: 10.3390/pr13092988.
M. Setianingrum and G. Bozorboeva, “Exploration of the structure and composition of Sn(S₀.₆Te₀.₄) thin film as a potential absorber in solar cell technology,” J. Chem. Learn. Innov., vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 86–95, Dec. 2024, doi: 10.37251/jocli.v1i2.3001.
A. Saputra, N. Triandita, Faridah, and Yermia, “Non-thermal technologies in beverage processing: Advances in quality preservation, safety, and sustainability—An updated review,” Food Rev. Int., pp. 1–26, 2026, doi: 10.1080/87559129.2026.2634736.
N. Q. Ma’ruf, R. I. Pratama, A. Andhikawati, and J. Junianto, “Jumlah total mikroba pada Naniura ikan Mujair (Oreochromis mossambicus) dengan menggunakan jenis jeruk yang berbeda [Total number of microbes in Naniura tilapia fish (Oreochromis mossambicus) using different types of oranges],” J. Ruaya, vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 99–106, 2025, doi: 10.29406/jr.v13i1.7557.
D. Agnesty, J. Sihombing, W. A. Ramadaningrum, B. W. Harsanto, L. Leliana, and A. Frediansyah, “Naniura: A traditional Batak fermented fish as a source of lactic acid bacteria and functional bioactives – A comprehensive review,” Int. J. Gastron. Food Sci., vol. 43, Art. no. 101402, 2026, doi: 10.1016/j.ijgfs.2025.101402.
R. Silaban, S. Y. Silaban, I. J. Alexander, I. D. Riris, M. Sitorus, and R. A. Daulay et al., “Ethnopedagogy of innovative acid base book based on problem-based learning integrated Dekke Naniura the local wisdom of Batak Toba,” Int. J. Environ. Sci., pp. 1464–1476, 2025, doi: 10.64252/vq7bc491.
R. Simanjuntak, E. Julianti, J. Silalahi, and E. S. Rahayu, “Dengke Naniura source of probiotics to lower cholesterol,” IOP Conf. Ser. Earth Environ. Sci., vol. 1302, no. 1, Art. no. 012105, 2024, doi: 10.1088/1755-1315/1302/1/012105.
H. Cintya, S. M. Sinaga, J. Silalahi, M. D. Zebua, D. Satria, and Nasri, “The effect of different concentrations of Lactobacillus fermentum from Dekke Naniura bacteria isolate with Streptococcus thermophilus on total lactic acid bacteria, pH value, and total titrable acidity of yoghurt,” AIP Conf. Proc., vol. 3195, no. 1, Art. no. 030005, 2025, doi: 10.1063/5.0286316.
J. Aguirre-Sosa, M. L. Dextre, and J. A. Vargas-Merino, “Peruvian ceviche: Cultural heritage of humanity and its sociocultural significance,” J. Ethn. Foods, vol. 12, no. 13, 2025, doi: 10.1186/s42779-025-00273-7.
M. E. Ramirez Martinez, G. C. Rodriguez Castillejos, M. C. Hernandez Jimenez, L. Y. Ramirez Quintanilla, F. Siller Lopez, and E. Acosta Cruz et al., “Analysis of bacterial diversity in raw fish ceviche,” J. Microbiol. Biotechnol. Food Sci., vol. 11, no. 5, Art. no. e3321, 2022, doi: 10.55251/jmbfs.3321.
A. J. Zakrzewski, W. Chajęcka-Wierzchowska, and A. Zadernowska, “Ceviche-natural preservative: Possibility of microbiota survival and effect on L. monocytogenes,” Foods, vol. 11, no. 6, p. 860, Mar. 2022, doi: 10.3390/foods11060860.
J. Muqtadir, “Steamed mini brownies with sweet potatoes: A processed food business innovation to support local food conservation,” J. Acad. Bio. Educ., vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 168–176, Dec. 2024, doi: 10.37251/jouabe.v1i2.3177.
R S. M. Lopes, D. C. da Silva, and E. C. Tondo, “Bactericidal effect of marinades on meats against different pathogens: A review,” Crit. Rev. Food Sci. Nutr., vol. 62, no. 27, pp. 7650–7658, 2022, doi: 10.1080/10408398.2021.1916734.
A. Y. Nasution, Rasyidah, and U. M. Mayasari, “Potensi bakteri asam laktat sebagai penghasil eksopolisakarida dari Dekke Na Niura [The potential of lactic acid bacteria as producers of exopolysaccharides from Dekke Na Niura],” J. AL-AZHAR Indones. Seri Sains Teknol., vol. 7, no. 3, p. 214, Sep. 2022, doi: 10.36722/sst.v7i3.1236.
R. Simanjuntak and B. Naibaho, “Identifikasi bakteri yang menguntungkan dan merugikan dari Dengke Naniura [Identification of beneficial and harmful bacteria from Dengke Naniura],” J. Riset Teknol. Pangan Has. Pertan. (RETIPA), vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 92–99, Apr. 2024, doi: 10.54367/retipa.vi.3822.
M. Hang, “The probiotic potential of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from Naniura (a traditional Batak food),” Canrea J. Food Technol. Nutr. Culin. J., vol. 4, no. 1, pp. 68–74, 2021, doi: 10.20956/canrea.v4i1.444.
A. Setiawan, “Lampung natural zeolite as a green solution: Heavy metal waste treatment through flotation-filtration method,” J. Chem. Learn. Innov., vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 75–85, Dec. 2024, doi: 10.37251/jocli.v1i2.2999.
A. J. N. Hutahaean, J. Silalahi, D. Suryanto, and D. Satria, “Characterisation of lactic acid bacteria from Dengke Naniura of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) with α-glucosidase inhibitory activity,” Open Access Maced. J. Med. Sci., vol. 7, no. 22, pp. 3794–3798, 2019, doi: 10.3889/oamjms.2019.506.
N. D. H. Sitanggang and E. A. M. Zuhud, “Ethnobotany of the Toba Batak ethnic community in Samosir District, North Sumatra, Indonesia,” Biodiversitas, vol. 23, no. 12, pp. 6114–6118, Dec. 2022, doi: 10.13057/biodiv/d231204.
J. Huang and L. Cai, “A comprehensive experiment for training undergraduates majoring in nutrition education using a paper-based micro acid-base titration,” J. Chem. Educ., vol. 99, no. 10, pp. 3607–3612, 2022, doi: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.2c00211.
E. Baland, L. P. Jimenez, and A. Mateus, “Teaching protein structure and function through molecular visualization,” Biochem. Mol. Biol. Educ., vol. 53, no. 1, pp. 15–20, 2025, doi: 10.1002/bmb.21860.
C. T. Jurgenson, “Using 3D printing to make models for visualization of protein structure,” J. Chem. Educ., vol. 99, no. 5, pp. 2005–2011, 2022, doi: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.2c00140.
A. Bates, K. M. Williams, and A. E. Hagerman, “Protein thermal stability in the undergraduate biochemistry laboratory: Exploring protein thermal stability with yeast alcohol dehydrogenase,” Biochem. Mol. Biol. Educ., vol. 53, no. 2, pp. 209–217, Mar.–Apr. 2025, doi: 10.1002/bmb.21880.
P. Freire, A. Zambrano, A. Zamora, and M. Castillo, “Thermal denaturation of milk whey proteins: A comprehensive review on rapid quantification methods being studied, developed and implemented,” Dairy, vol. 3, no. 3, pp. 500–512, Jul. 2022, doi: 10.3390/dairy3030036.
K. Konno, “Myosin denaturation study for the quality evaluation of fish muscle-based products,” Food Sci. Technol. Res., vol. 23, no. 1, pp. 9–21, 2017, doi: 10.3136/fstr.23.9.
G. Haro, I. Iksen, and N. Nasri, “Identification, characterization and antibacterial potential of probiotic lactic acid bacteria isolated from Naniura (a traditional Batak fermented food from carp) against Salmonella typhi,” Rasayan J. Chem., vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 464–468, 2020, doi: 10.31788/RJC.2020.1315530.
S. Ruangprom, M. Chaijan, C. Wongnen, V. Anantawat, M. Waqar, and L.-Z. Cheong et al., “Structural and techno-functional properties of pH-shifted protein isolates from unhatched hen eggs,” Poult. Sci., early access, 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.psj.2025.105396.
J. M. Hughes, S. K. Oiseth, P. P. Purslow, and R. D. Warner, “A structural approach to understanding the interactions between colour, water-holding capacity and tenderness,” Meat Sci., vol. 98, no. 3, pp. 520–532, 2014, doi: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2014.05.022.
E. Huff-Lonergan and S. M. Lonergan, “Mechanisms of water-holding capacity of meat: The role of postmortem biochemical and structural changes,” Meat Sci., vol. 71, no. 1, pp. 194–204, 2005, doi: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2005.04.022.
P. Masson and S. Lushchekina, “Conformational stability and denaturation processes of proteins investigated by electrophoresis under extreme conditions,” Molecules, vol. 27, no. 20, Art. no. 6861, Oct. 2022, doi: 10.3390/molecules27206861.
A. Wang, S. Ma, Y. Zhu, L. Zou, and G. Zhao, “Evaluation of photo-oxidation in full-fat milk under different light spectra: A laboratory experiment in food chemistry,” J. Chem. Educ., vol. 99, no. 3, pp. 1420–1427, Mar. 2022, doi: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.1c00650.
A. Guo and Y. L. Xiong, “Myoprotein–phytophenol interaction: Implications for muscle food structure-forming properties,” Compr. Rev. Food Sci. Food Saf., vol. 20, pp. 2801–2824, 2021, doi: 10.1111/1541-4337.12733.
A. A. Cahyani and R. Agustini, “Antibacterial activity of probiotics from Naniura made with Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) against Salmonella typhi,” J. Pijar MIPA, vol. 20, no. 4, pp. 742–749, 2025, doi: 10.29303/jpm.v20i4.9155.
D. H. Wardhani, B. Jos, A. Abdullah, S. Suherman, and H. Cahyono, “Effect of coagulants in curd forming in cheese making,” J. Rekayasa Kim. Lingkung., vol. 13, no. 2, pp. 209–216, 2018, doi: 10.23955/RKL.V13I2.12157.
R. A. Mancini, M. C. Hunt, M. Seyfert, D. H. Kropf, K. A. Hachmeister, and T. J. Herald et al., “Effects of ascorbic and citric acid on beef lumbar vertebrae marrow colour,” Meat Sci., vol. 76, no. 3, pp. 568–573, 2007, doi: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2007.01.015.
M. Watanabe, T. Suzuki, K. Ichimaida, T. Hattori, and R. Ueda, “Do consumers actually sense that sashimi made from frozen-thawed fish tastes worse than non-frozen one?,” Int. J. Refrig., vol. 111, pp. 94–102, 2020, doi: 10.1016/j.ijrefrig.2019.11.031.
Nasri, U. Harahap, J. Silalahi, and D. Satria, “Antibacterial activity of lactic acid bacteria isolated from Dengke Naniura of carp (Cyprinus carpio) against diarrhea-causing pathogenic bacteria,” Biodiversitas, vol. 22, no. 8, pp. 3098–3104, Aug. 2021, doi: 10.13057/biodiv/d220802.
P. Klinmalai, S. Fong-in, S. Phongthai, and W. Klunklin, “Improving the quality of frozen fillets of semi-dried gourami fish (Trichogaster pectoralis) by using sorbitol and citric acid,” Foods, vol. 10, no. 11, Art. no. 2763, 2021, doi: 10.3390/foods10112763.
Y. H. Rahmawan, R. R. Hakim, and G. A. Sutarjo, “The effect of difference density in tarpaulin ponds on growth and survival rate of Osphronemous goramy,” Int. J. Aquac. Trop. Aquat. (IJOTA), vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 14–20, 2020, doi: 10.22219/ijota.v3i1.5973.
A. Strzelczak, J. Balejko, M. Szymczak, and A. Witczak, “Effect of protein denaturation temperature on rheological properties of Baltic herring (Clupea harengus membras) muscle tissue,” Foods, vol. 10, no. 4, Art. no. 829, Apr. 2021, doi: 10.3390/foods10040829.
R. Naufalin, R. Wicaksono, and E. Triyulianingrum, “Edible coating application with addition of kecombrang flower concentrates to maintain quality fillets of gurami fish during storage,” in AIP Conf. Proc., vol. 2094, Art. no. 020031, 2019, doi: 10.1063/1.5097500.
T. Tanti, D. Kurniawan, Kuswanto, W. Utami, and I. Wardhana, “Science process skills and critical thinking in science: Urban and rural disparity,” J. Pendidik. IPA Indones., vol. 9, no. 4, pp. 489–498, 2020, doi: 10.15294/jpii.v9i4.24139.
H. L. Tangguh, C. Prahasanti, N. Ulfah, and A. Krismariono, “Characterization of pepsin-soluble collagen extracted from gourami (Osphronemus gouramy) scales,” Niger. J. Clin. Pract., vol. 24, no. 1, pp. 89–92, Jan. 2021, doi: 10.4103/njcp.njcp_516_19.
A. R. Hafsari, D. Rosmiati, and D. Jamaludin, “The effect of hydrochloric acid (HCl) concentration on the quality of gourami bone gelatin (Osphronemus gouramy Lac),” in Proc. 1st Int. Conf. Recent Innovations (ICRI), 2020, pp. 2983–2989, doi: 10.5220/0009947329832989.
I. O. Arruda, T. M. Porfírio, E. Nascimento, D. A. Sousa, D. O. Ritter, and M. Lanzarin, “Hygienic-sanitary quality of ready-to-eat salmon sashimi (Salmo salar),” Res. Soc. Dev., vol. 10, no. 12, Art. no. e573101220900, Oct. 2021, doi: 10.33448/rsd-v10i12.20900.
Z. Busrah and H. Pathuddin, “Ethnomathematics: Modelling the volume of solid of revolution at Buginese and Makassarese traditional foods,” J. Res. Adv. Math. Educ. (JRAMathEdu), vol. 6, no. 4, pp. 331–351, 2021, doi: 10.23917/jramathedu.v6i4.15050.
R. R. Dewi, W. Wisanti, and Y. Yuliani, “Traditional Surabaya food integrated into the discovery learning e-module: Improving critical thinking and motivation,” JPBI (J. Pendidik. Biol. Indones.), vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 292–303, 2025, doi: 10.22219/jpbi.v11i1.39583.
P. A. Laksmiwati, F. M. Abrori, Z. Lavicza, and A. N. Cahyono, “Merging mathematics, biology, and local culture: Exploring a traditional food project in elementary education,” Sci. Activities, vol. 61, no. 2, pp. 57–70, 2024, doi: 10.1080/00368121.2024.2302992.
H. R. Widarti, A. Wiyarsi, S. Yamtinah, A. S. Shidiq, M. E. F. Sari, and P. N. Fauziah et al., “Analysis of content development in chemical materials related to ethnoscience: A review,” J. Educ. Learn. (EduLearn), vol. 19, no. 1, pp. 422–430, 2025, doi: 10.11591/edulearn.v19i1.21210.
A. Das, S. Amin, M. A. Kabir, S. Hossain, and M. M. Islam, “FoodCalorie: A mobile game to learn daily calorie intake standard,” Int. J. Game-Based Learn. (IJGBL), vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 61–81, 2021, doi: 10.4018/IJGBL.2021040104.
W. Sumarni, W. Sudarmin, Wiyanto, A. Rusilowati, and E. Susilaningsih, “Chemical literacy of teaching candidates studying the integrated food chemistry ethnosciences course,” J. Turk. Sci. Educ., vol. 14, no. 3, pp. 60–72, 2017, doi: 10.12973/tused.10204a.
W. Sumarni, Sudarmin, Wiyanto, and Supartono, “Preliminary analysis of assessment instrument design to reveal science generic skill and chemistry literacy,” Int. J. Eval. Res. Educ. (IJERE), vol. 5, no. 4, pp. 331–340, Dec. 2016, doi: 10.11591/ijere.v5i4.5961.
R. R. H. Hau, Y. S. Dua, M. H. D. Bunga, and W. W. Wodon, “Identifying physics concepts in moke making process: An ethnoscience approach,” Educ. Q. Rev., vol. 4, no. 4, pp. 258–263, 2021, doi: 10.31014/aior.1993.04.04.389.
Copyright (c) 2026 Rendi Restiana Sukardi, Muhammad Rizal Hardiansyah M, Muhammad Nur Mannan, Meilinda Meilinda, Mohd Nizam Lani, Siti Supriyanti, Ade Yulianto
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and acknowledge that the Journal of Educational Technology and Learning Creativity is the first publisher licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges and earlier and greater citation of published work.
.png)
.png)
.png)
