EFFECT OF THE ADDITION OF BLACK TEA, LEMONGRASS, LIME, AND LEMON ON THE SENSORY CHARACTERISTICS OF KECOMBRANG FLOWER TEA (Etlingera elatior)

Abstract

Tea is a popular beverage consumed after water, largely due to the health benefits associated with it. The kecombrang plant (Etlingera elatior) is known to contain biochemical compounds such as alkaloids, saponins, tannins, phenolics, flavonoids, triterpenoids, steroids, vitamins, minerals, and glycosides. Kecombrang flower tea is an innovative product aimed at optimizing the use of kecombrang flowers. This tea has a red color, along with a distinctive taste and aroma, which may require the addition of other ingredients like black tea, lemongrass, lime, and lemon to enhance its organoleptic quality. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of adding black tea, lemongrass, lime, and lemon on the sensory characteristics of kecombrang flower tea through a hedonic test. A completely randomized design (CRD) was employed in this study, with the factor under investigation being the addition of variants such as black tea, lemongrass, lime, and lemon. The tested variables included a hedonic test to assess the level of panelist preference for color, taste, aroma, and overall attributes. The results indicated that the addition of these variants significantly affected consumer preference. The sample of kecombrang flower tea with the addition of black tea was the most preferred by the panelists.