Integrated Effects of Hot Water Blanching on Alliin Degradation, Physical Quality, and Aroma Acceptability of Lokio (Allium chinense G. Don)

Lokio (Allium chinense G. Don) is a traditional Allium vegetable widely consumed in Indonesia and has potential as a natural seasoning. However, its utilization is limited by excessive pungency associated with alliin. This study contributed to evaluate the effects of hot water blanching temperature and duration on alliin content, moisture content, color characteristics, textural properties, and aroma acceptability of lokio. Fresh lokio bulbs were blanched at 80, 90, and 100 °C for 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 min using a factorial randomized design. Alliin content was quantified using HPLC, while moisture, color, texture, and aroma acceptability were analyzed using standard methods. Increasing blanching temperature and duration significantly reduced alliin content and hardness (p<0.05), accompanied by increased lightness, yellowness, and chroma, as well as decreased hue angle, indicating a shift toward yellow–orange color. Aroma acceptability increased significantly with blanching severity, reflecting reduced pungency. The optimal blanching condition was identified at 100 °C for 6–8 min, which effectively reduced alliin content while maintaining acceptable texture and color quality. These findings provide practical guidance for optimizing blanching pretreatment to achieve controlled pungency reduction and improved sensory acceptance in lokio processing.