Advances in Biological Sciences Research, volume 16

6th International Conference of Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resource (IC-FANRES 2021)

Study on the Quality of Fermented Tapioca with

Variation of Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) Types
Baiq R. Handayani, Nurul Hartiwi, Mutia D. Ariyana*
Faculty of Food Technology and Agroindustry, University of Mataram, Mataram, 83115, Indonesia,
*
Corresponding author. Email: mutiadevi0705@unram.ac.id

ABSTRACT
Fermentation potentially improves the quality of tapioca. Fermentation of tapioca occurred either spontaneously or with
the addition of starters. Lactic acid bacteria widely used as a starter on flour fermentation. This study aimed to determine
the effect of the types of Lactic acid bacteria on the characteristic of fermented tapioca. The method used in this study
was an experimental method carried out in the laboratory and designed using a Completely Randomized Design (CRD)
with one factor, i.e the types of lactic acid bacteria that consisted of 5 treatments (control, Lactobacillus plantarum, L.
acidophilus, L. casei and L. fermentum). The results showed that the types of lactic acid bacteria significantly affected
the pH, Aw, viscosity, and total lactic acid bacteria, but had no significant effect on the yield and degree of whiteness of
fermented tapioca. Fermentation using L. plantarum as a starter was the best treatment to produced fermented tapioca
characterized by pH value of 4.37, water activity 0.54, yield 17.20%, viscosity 27,360 cps, degree of whiteness 95.10
and total lactic acid bacteria 1.96 x 10-7 CFU / gram.

Keywords: Cassava, Fermented tapioca flour, Lactic acid bacteria.

1. INTRODUCTION fermented cassava starch using L. fermentum with 24

hours fermentation period produced amylose 18.39%
Fermented tapioca has preferable characteristics with swelling power 8.31%. In addition, [7] reported that,
compared to unfermented tapioca. Fermented tapioca has cassava fermentation using 6% L. casei with 48 hours
high swelling power, so this type is widely used in the fermentation period was the best treatment with swelling
food industry. However, spontaneous fermentation power 14.13%. According to [8] fermentation using L.
produces tapioca with low physical quality and food acidophilus can reduce the water content of cassava
safety [1][2]. According to Rachman [3] spontaneous starch.
fermentation significantly increases the protein content,
but the product has a high water content that will affect Lactic acid bacteria improve the characteristic of
the shelf life of tapioca. fermented flour by reducing the water content.
Fermentation with the addition of L. plantarum and L.
The addition of microbial starter in the fermentation acidophilus can reduce the water content of fermented
of flours can improve the quality. Lactic acid bacteria is sorghum [9][10]. According to [11], fermentation using
one of the starters that is widely used in the fermentation L. casei can reduce the water content of sweet corn flour
of flour [4]. Lactic acid bacteria has the ability to to 5.15%. [12], reported that the fermentation using a
accelerate the fermentation process to produce better mixed culture of L. fermentum, L. plantarum and L.
quality products than spontaneous fermentation [1]. acidophilus can reduce the water content of fermented
Several types of lactic acid bacteria such as L. plantarum, banana flour.
L. acidophilus, L. casei, and L. fermentum were reported
involved in the fermentation of flour. Lactic acid bacteria also improve the nutritional value
by increasing the protein content. [13], stated that cassava
As stated by [5], tapioca fermentation using 3% L. fermentation using L. plantarum increased the protein
plantarum with 9 days fermentation produced the best content of mocaf. [14] reported the application of 1% L.
quality with yield 19.6%, total acid 0.04%, viscosity plantarum with 48 hours fermentation time on nagara
1.984 cps, whiteness 97 degree, solubility 18.54% and bean flour resulted in protein content of 25.60%.
development volume 276.3%. According to [6] According to [15], fermentation using a mixed culture of

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L. fermentum and L. plantarum can increase protein with sorted, peeled, washed and grated to get cassava
digestibility of corn flour and sorghum flour. This paper pulp. The cassava pulp was then mixed with 1:2 (w/v)
reports the effects of lactic acid bacteria types on the water and allowed to settle for 4 hours to obtain cassava
quality of fermented tapioca starch. After being precipitated, the water and the
sediment were separated to obtain cassava starch.
2. MATERIALS AND METHOD Cassava starch then mixed with water 1: 1 (w / v) and
added with 3% starter L. plantarum/ L. acidophilus/L.
2.1. Research Design casei//L. fermentum and then fermented at 28°C for 48
hours. After the fermentation process, water and
The method used in this research was an experimental sediment were separated. The sediment was dried with
method, which was carried out in the laboratory. The direct sunlight for 12 hours, and coarse tapioca was
research design used was a completely randomized obtained. Coarse tapioca was then ground and sieved
design (CRD) with four types or lactic acid bacteria as a using an 80 mesh sieve to obtain fermented tapioca.
starter, including Lactobacillus plantarum, L.
acidophilus, L. casei and L. fermentum, and the control 2.4. Determination of Fermented Tapioca
(without the use of starter). For this control, the Quality
fermentation occurred spontaneously. Each treatment
was repeated four times. The quality of Fermented tapioca moisture was
determined based on the pH measured using a Schott pH
2.2. Preparation of the Lactic Acid Bacteria meter [18], water activity assessed using Aw meter
Starter [16] portable, fermented tapioca yield express in percentage
between fermented tapioca weight to the original cassava
Liquid cultures of L. plantarum, L. casei, L. weight [19], viscosity measured using a viscometer
acidophilus, and L. fermentum were prepared from the Brookfield [20], color test assessed using colorimeter
Laboratory of Food Microbiology, Faculty of Food (MSEZ User Manual) and total lactic acid bacteria
Technology and Agroindustry, University of calculated using modification of total plate count
Mataram. One ml of each culture then subcultured on 9 [21].The data obtained from the observation were
ml of De Man Rogosa and Sharpe Broth (Oxoid, analyzed using variance analysis (Analysis of variance)
England) and incubated at 37°C for 24 hours. This step at a 5% significant level using the Costat software. When
repeated four times. After that, 1 ml of lactic acid there was a significant difference, a further test was
bacteria culture has been obtained from MRSB grown on carried out with the Honest Real Difference Test (HSD)
De Man Rogosa and Sharpe Agar (Oxoid, England) and at the same significant level.
incubated at 37°C for 48 hours. Lactic acid bacteria
obtained from this culture were calculated using the 3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Total Plate Count method. If the total number of lactic
acid bacteria were 108-109 CFU/g, the culture is ready to 3.1. Acidity (pH)
use as a starter.
As shown in table 1, the types of lactic acid bacteria
2.3. Production of Fermented Tapioca [5,17] that gave a significant effect on the pH of fermented
tapioca. Low pH value of fermented tapioca with addition
Local varieties of white cassava with harvest age of of lactic acid bacteria starter associated with the presence
10-12 months were obtained from Duman Village, of organic acids produced by the lactic acid bacteria
Lingsar District, West Lombok Regency. The production starter used during fermentation.
of fermented tapioca involved the preparation of cassava

Table 1. Fermented tapioca acidity (pH), water activity (a w), yield, viscosity, degree of whiteness and total lactic acid
bacteria (LAB)
Tapioca with fermentation of pH Aw Yield Viscosity (cp) Degree of Total LAB
(%) Whiteness (log CFU/g)
None (Control) 4.48b 0.56a 16.66 18.83d 94.48 6.07c
b
L. plantarum 4.37c 0.54 17.2 27.83a 95.1 7.29a
c ab
L. casei 4.41 0.55 16.89 23.16ab 95 7.26a
a ab
L. acidophilus 4.67 0.56 16.76 22.3c 94.7 6.61b
a ab
L. fermentum 4.72 0.56 16.73 23.36bc 94.61 6.57b
Different letter in the same column indicate data is significantly different at 5% alpha.

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Glucose is broken down by lactic acid bacteria into fermentation process, the enzymes produced by lactic
lactic acid, pyruvic acid, acetic acid, ethanol, and CO2, acid bacteria will break down carbohydrates and other
thereby increasing total acid and lowering pH [21]. This compounds, therefore the bound water turns into free
is in line with previous study [22] which states that the water.
accumulation of lactic acid resulting from the metabolism
Figure 2 shows fermented tapioca with the addition
of lactic acid bacteria can lower the pH of the medium.
of L. plantarum has a lower water activity than tapioca
Based on the results of HSD tests, the pH of with the addition of L. acidophilus, L. casei, and L.
fermented tapioca with the addition of L. casei was not fermentum. This is related to the high ability of L.
significantly different from the addition of L. fermentum, plantarum to adapt with the environment compared to the
but significantly different with the addition of L. other types, resulting in higher growth rate and higher
plantarum and L. acidophilus. The addition of L. amounts of acid [29]. This condition causes the pH of the
plantarum and L. acidophilus produced fermented environment to be low and causes the condition of the
tapioca which had a lower pH compared to tapioca with fermentation media to become acidic, consequently the
the addition of L. casei and L. fermentum. This is due to permeability of the cell membrane of cassava tubers is
L. casei and L. fermentum belonging to the same species, disrupted. This results in the rupture of the cell wall of
namely the heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria group. cassava [30]. L. plantarum was also able to produce
Meanwhile, L. plantarum and L. acidophilus belong to higher pectinolytic and cellulolytic enzymes than other
the same species, namely the homofermentative lactic lactic acid bacteria [31], therefore the ability to lysis the
acid group [23]. As stated by [24], the homofermentative cell wall increased. High number of cell lysis will
lactic acid bacteria produces more lactic acid than the increase the amount of starch granules that leave the tuber
heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria, so the pH value cells. This causes more amount of bound water to be
on the product by the homofermentative lactic acid liberated, consequently the water content and water
bacteria is lower. activity in fermented tapioca decreased [32][33].
The range of fermented tapioca’s pH value in this The Aw value of fermented tapioca in this study
study was 4.37-4.72. According to The Tapioca Institute ranged from 0.54-0.56. This Aw value also comply the
Of America (TIA), this pH value fulfills the quality quality requirement for fermented tapioca according to
standard of fermented tapioca, which determined that the [34], which describes that dry food ingredients such as
standard pH of fermented tapioca flour ranges from 4-6 flour generally have an Aw ranging from 0.60-0.85. In
[25]. In addition, several industries require a pH value to addition, the Aw value in this study is vulnerable below
determine the quality of tapioca flour related to the critical Aw, where the critical water activity of food
processing processes, for example in the process of ingredients is 0.75. Higher water activity value of flour,
forming pasta. Optimum gel formation occurs at pH 4-7 the higher level of damage that can occur due to
[26]. microorganisms [35].

3.2. Water activity (Aw) 3.3. Yield

The Aw value is the amount of free water in food that Determination of the yield is carried out on the yield
can be used for microbial growth and for chemical and of flour produced [19]. [5] stated that starch yield is
biochemical reactions to take place [27]. The relationship usually influenced by the process of stripping, grating,
between lactic acid bacteria types and water activity in filtering, depositing and drying starch. The average yield
fermented tapioca can be seen in Table 1. can be seen in Table 1.
The Aw of fermented tapioca was significantly The yield of fermented tapioca was not significantly
affected after being treated with different types of lactic affected after being treated with different types of lactic
acid bacteria. The data showed that the Aw value of acid bacteria. The amount of yield produced in the
control tapioca was significantly different from treatment with the addition of starter L. plantarum, L.
fermented tapioca with the addition of lactic acid acidophilus, L. casei, L. fermentum and control were
bacteria. Lower Aw value in the treatment with the 17.20%, 16.89%, 16.75%, 16.73% and 16.65%,
addition of lactic acid bacteria starter was caused by the respectively. The yield of fermented tapioca in this study
activity of microorganisms in the breakdown of starch, did not comply the quality requirements for tapioca based
which resulted in the water bound in the material being on the SNI No.01-2997-1992 which required the yield of
liberated, so that it was calculated as the Aw value. This tapioca flour to pass an 80 mesh sieve of at least 90%.
is in accordance with the opinion of [28] which states that
without fermentation, water molecules will form 3.4. Viscosity
hydrates with molecules containing oxygen atoms,
carbohydrates, proteins and other organic compounds, Measurement of viscosity in fermented tapioca flour
making them difficult to evaporate. However, during the will make it easier to determine the level of starch

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viscosity during the gelatinization process. In addition, from other bacteria because this bacterium adapts more
the viscosity test on fermented tapioca aims to determine quickly to a new environment. According to [38] the
the level of viscosity of the flour, consequently it can be logarithmic phase of L. plantarum is 15 hours.
applied to products that match the required level of
In contrast to L. plantarum, other types of starter like
viscosity. Lactic acid bacteria types gave a significant
L. acidophilus have a longer logarithmic phase for 8-32
effect on the viscosity of fermented tapioca (Table 1).
hours. According to [38], L. acidophilus has a longer
The viscosity value of fermented tapioca flour was higher
logarithmic phase than L. plantarum, which is 21 hours.
than control tapioca
The long logarithmic phase indicates that L. acidophilus
Fermented tapioca with the addition of L. casei and L. takes a long time to adapt to a new environment.
fermentum had a lower viscosity than fermented tapioca Likewise with starter L. acidophilus, according to [39] L.
with the addition of L. plantarum and L. acidophilus. casei takes a long time to adapt to a new environment,
According to [36] the increase in viscosity is due to the where the logarithmic phase is up to 18 hours.
fact that during the fermentation process, the growing
microbes produce pectinolytic and cellulolytic enzymes 4. CONCLUSION
that can destroy cell walls, resulting in starch consisting
of amylose and amylopectin fractions easily leaving the Based on the results obtained in this research, it can
granules. In addition to breaking down cellulose, lactic be concluded that the types of lactic acid bacteria
acid bacteria also modifies fine starch granules into holes. significantly affected the pH, Aw, viscosity, and total
These holes strengthen the bond between the grains, lactic acid bacteria, but had no significant effect on the
consequently the dough is difficult to separate and more yield and degree of whiteness of fermented tapioca.
sticky. Fermentation using L. plantarum as a starter was the best
treatment to produced fermented tapioca characterized by
The relationship between viscosity and pH value is pH value of 4.37, water activity 0.54, yield 17.20%,
directly proportional, the higher acidity level results in viscosity 27,360 cps, degree of whiteness 95.10 and total
higher viscosity (Table 1). Fermented tapioca with the lactic acid bacteria 1.96x10-7 CFU / gram.
addition of L. plantarum and L. acidophilus had lower pH
values compared to fermented tapioca with the addition
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