Substituting Popping Boba in Coffee Serving Using a Gastronomic Method

Popping boba is a type of boba that does not use tapioca flour as its basic ingredient; therefore, it has a soft texture with a liquid core, characterized by a delicate outer layer and a burst of liquid inside. Coffee is recognized as one of Indonesia’s key export commodities. Over the past five years, Indonesia has ranked fourth among the world's coffee exporters, behind Brazil, Colombia, and Vietnam. This study employed a questionnaire method using a hedonic (preference) test conducted by panelists. The authors first identified an appropriate formulation for popping boba, then distributed the samples to the panelists, and finally analyzed the respondents’ questionnaire responses. The data were examined using descriptive statistics, including the mean, median, mode, and standard deviation. Based on the average scores of four sensory aspects taste, color, texture, and aroma the coffee popping boba formulation containing 75% calcium lactate, 75% sodium alginate, and 75% coffee achieved the best results. For expert panelists, this formulation received a total score of 36.6, with an average score of 3.1, while non-expert panelists gave a total score of 37.6, with an average score of 3.1. Overall, the results indicate that the use of calcium lactate and sodium alginate in the production of coffee popping boba was successful, as the hedonic test results were predominantly in the “liked” category.