Effect of Indonesian ragi tempeh starter on quality traits of chicken fermented sausages

The Indonesian ragi tempeh starter for the fermented chicken sausage process has never been used to produce fermented sausage products. This study aimed to examine the effects of Indonesian ragi tempeh starter, binder agent, and ripening time on the quality traits of fermented chicken sausages. Fermented sausages were prepared using fresh chicken meat (breast meat and fat) and three different binding agents (soy protein isolate, gelatin powder, and skim milk powder at 1) and ripened for 0, 1, 2, and 3 days. The variables measured were the proximate composition (moisture, fat, protein, and ash), physical characteristics (cooking loss, water-holding capacity, pH, a_w, and color), textural profile (hardness, cohesiveness, springiness, gumminess, adhesiveness, and chewiness), microbiological quality (total plate count and yeast mold count), and protein profile by SDS-PAGE. The moisture and protein content were affected by different binding agents and ripening time. The cooking loss and water-holding capacity of chicken sausages fermented with soy protein isolate were of relatively better quality than the others in terms of ripening time. The pH value and a_w tended to decrease with longer fermentation times, as well as with color changes; while the lightness (L*) decreased, the redness (a*) and yellowness (b*) increased. Different binding agents and ripening times significantly affected the hardness, gumminess, and chewiness of the texture profile analysis. The protein profile yield band had the lowest molecular weight, which appeared to be approximately <10 kDa. Therefore, the soy protein isolate was suitable for manufacturing chicken sausages fermented with Indonesian ragi tempeh starter and ripened for 1 day. © 2026 The Authors. Published by Rynnye Lyan Resources.