Optimasi Produksi Pemanis Alami Serbuk Stevia dengan Metode Spray Drying = Optimization Production of Stevia Natural Sweetener Powder Using Spray Drying Method

Abstract

Stevia rebaudiana (Bert.) is a plant containing the active compounds stevioside and rebaudioside A which are used as a sweetener and as an antidiabetic agent. The purposes of this researchare to produce stevia beverage product in powder form, to standardize sweetener powder based on stevioside and rebaudiosida A content using HPLC and to test the physical properties of sweetener powder in terms of water content, hygroscopicity, encapsulation efficiency, and organoleptic. Sweetener powder of S.rebaudiana was produced using spray drying method. As carriermaterial, maltodextrin is used of 10% (w/v) and 20% (w/v) variation. The results showed that the stevioside content in the stevia natural sweetener produced of 10% and 20% maltodextrinewere 0.8303% (w / w) and 0.5634% (w / w)respectively. While the content of rebaudiosida A in same product were 2.2537% (w / w) and 1.6289% (w / w) respectively. Water content in the ratio of stevia and maltodextrin 10% and 20% were 9.9% and 9.8 %respectively. The results of hygroscopicity measurements on the ratio of stevia and maltodextrin 10% and 20% were 12.9132 ± 0.09% and 14.7956 ± 0.13% respectively. The results of the efficiency of encapsulation in the ratio of stevia and maltodextrin 10% and 20% of stevioside were 5,79% and 4,14% respectively, while rebaudioside Aare 5,64% and 3,78%.The results of the degree of sweetness through organoleptic test on the ratio of stevia and maltodekstrin 10% and 20% were 2, 92 ± 0.19 and 2.76 ± 0.20 respectively, indicating sufficient level of sweetness. The study revealed that S. rebaudiana could be produced as natural sweetener powder using spray drying method.