EFFECT OF AGAR-AGAR ADDITION TO THE LEVEL OF

PREFERENCES, FIBER CONTENT AND GLYCEMIC INDEX OF

WHITE RICE
Ratnawati1, B. Bahar1, S. Sirajuddin1
1

Nutrition Departement, Departement of Public Health Hasanuddin University, Makassar,

Indonesia
Background and Objective: Rice is the main source of carbohydrates in the daily menu

of Indonesian society and also known to be hyperglycemic so as to rapidly increase glucose

levels after consumption. The nature of this rice could lead to diabetes mellitus. This study aims
to analyze the effect of adding agar-agar to the level of preference, fiber content and glycemic
index of white rice.
Method: This was a experiment research with the post test only control design. The
sample used is the rice Kepala Spesial brand. four standard of treatment given are the control
(0%), 0.5%, 1%, and 1.5%. Organoleptic test conducted for the four formulas, formula was
selected then crude fiber content was analyzed by gravimetric methods,levels of carbohydrates
by the method of Luff-schoorl and glycemic index by in vivo method . Panelists preferences
level data for color, texture, flavor and overall were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis.
Proximate test and glycemic index data are analyzed in descriptive .
Result: The results showed no significant effect of the addition of agar-agar to the
preference of color, flavor, and overall of white rice. The addition of agar-agar significantly
affect the texture preference of white rice (p value = 0.004). The selected rice was made by 0.5%
agar-agar addition. Rice agar-agar 0.5% had levels 0.13%, of crude fiber lower than the control
rice (0.14%). The addition of agar-agar 0.5% reduce glycemic index of white rice from 110.8 to
94.1.
Concluison: Concluded that there is a real effect of the addition of agar-agar on the
texture preference of white rice , but did not significantly affect the level of liking the color,
flavor, and overall. The addition of agar-agar reduce the glycemic index and does not increase
the crude fiber content of white rice. It is recommended that the public can use the rice agar-agar
as a staple food because it has a lower GI thus help prevent the diabetes mellitus.
Keywords : Agar-agar, white rice, the preferences, fiber content, glycemic index