Effect of Freshwater Fish Species on Lemea Chemical and Organoleptic Characteristics for Ethnoscience-Based Chemistry Learning

This study examined the effects of freshwater fish species on the chemical and organoleptic characteristics of lemea and its potential as an ethnoscience-based chemistry learning context. Previous studies have focused on fermentation time, fish proportion, or its use as a learning resource, while comparative evidence involving freshwater fish species under standardized conditions remains limited. A randomized design was applied using four fish treatments: Cyprinus carpio (P1), Oreochromis niloticus (P2), Oreochromis mossambicus (P3), and Channa striata (P4). Each treatment had three replications and was fermented for seven days. Organoleptic characteristics were evaluated using a five-point hedonic scale, while pH and protein content were determined through laboratory procedures. P4 achieved the highest preference scores for color (95%), aroma (91%), taste (97%), and texture (93%). Mean pH values ranged from 4.23 to 4.62, with no significant differences among treatments based on Welch’s ANOVA (p = 0.660). Protein content differed significantly (p = 0.020), with P4 showing the highest value (23.98%) and P3 the lowest (11.04%). These findings indicate that fish species were associated with differences in sensory characteristics and protein content, whereas pH remained stable.. Fermentation provides a basis for connecting Rejang knowledge with fermentation, microorganisms, acidity, and protein transformation in chemistry learning.