REDUCING SUGAR CONTENT IN SIWALAN ROOMIE (BORASSUS FLABELLIFER L) BEFORE COOKING AND LIQUID BROWN SUGAR AFTER COOKING

Sugar reduction is one of the essential macronutrients used as energy sources. High levels of sugar reduction in food can increase the sweet taste of these foodstuffs. However, the consumption of high sugar food can cause diabetes mellitus. The purpose of this study is to increase the economic value of liquid palm sugar (Borassus flabellifer L) and opportunities as a preservative in the food industry. This research used quantitative descriptive methods. The results showed that the level of sugar reduction in siwalan liquid brown sugar (Borassus flabellifer L) was 15.65%, the water content in the liquid palm sugar sample (Borassus flabellifer L) is 26.78%, and the temperature of the liquid brown sugar after cooking is 230C. The effect of heat or temperature on cooking also causes physical changes in liquid brown sugar such as caramel formation, color and flavour.


INTRODUCTION
Palmyra palm (Borassus flabellifer L) is one of palm or Arecaceae types which grow widely in East Nusa Tenggara (ENT).
ENT people understand that palmyra palm is one of multipurpose trees that can fulfill their daily needs. Parts of palmyra palm such as root, trunk, leaves and fruits can be used as materials for furniture, arts (Tambunan, 2010), as food and potentially as bioethanol (Budisetyowati et al, 2016).
According to Kirana et al (2016), organ or parts of palmyra palm such as male flower cob may produce Nira for foodstuffs such as liquid palm sugar, ant sugar and plate sugar. Therefore, palmyra palm existence may fuel people's economic growth.
Nira is liquid tapped from mayang or male flower tree which can be consumed directly, but may also be processed into economic products such as soy sauce and dodol (Hanggara et al 2016). Siwalan roomie has sweet taste due to its sugar content or usually called carbohydrate. Measuring water content and temperature using thermogravimetry method.
As much as 2 g sample is put into an oven with 100-110 0 C temperature for 2 hours long. After that, the sample then set aside to cool in desiccator for 10 minutes, being weighed and then put into an oven minutes and reweighed. This process is continued until constant weight is achieved.
Water content = material weight (start-end) x100% Initial material weight In deciding sample ash content, 2 g of sample is put into evaporating dish which weight is known. In a furnace, sample is heated until becoming ash (white) in 500-600 0 C temperature for 5 hours long. Then, sample is set aside to cool in desiccator and being weighed.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Sugar with glucose or high inversion sugar content is difficult to hardened and easily melted (Indahyanti et al, 2014).

Determining water level
The result of water level test using thermogravimetry method shows that nira lontar has higher water level compared with liquid palm sugar sample.
Comparison of water level can be seen in below table no 2.  Dewi et al (2014), the longer the cooking process, the lower the water level will be as a result of many evaporation. Cooking process also determines sugar caramel level. During heating, water level reduction happens and so solid concentration increases (Nilasari et al, 2017).

Determining temperature
Laboratory analysis result with thermogravimetry method shows that siwalan roomie temperature is lower than liquid palm sugar temperature after cooking.
Samples' temperature before and after cooking can be seen in below table no 3. For this reason, people usually use palm sugar as preservative in preserving foodstuffs (Winata et al, 2015).

CONCLUSION
Based on research results, it can be concluded that reducing sugar content in Siwalan roomie (Borassus flabellifer L) before cooking is 1,49% and in liquid palm sugar after cooking 15,65%. Besides differences in reducing sugar level before and after cooking, there are also differences in water and temperature level. Water level sample before cooking process is 51,69 % and 26,78 % after cooking, while sample temperature before cooking is 23 0 C and 23 0 C after cooking. In this research, physical changes happen in samples after cooking. The changes can be seen before and after cooking i.e. after cooking, sample is caramelized, brown in color and has palm sugar distinct aroma.