In vitro antidiabetic activity and consumer acceptance level of fermented brown seaweed Sargassum hystrix tea using Lactobacillus plantarum

Sargassum hystrix is a brown seaweed that shows potential antidiabetic activity through its phenolic and phlorotannin compounds. The use of S. hystrix as a functional food is constrained by the stability of bioactive compounds and a fishy odor that reduces consumer acceptance. Fermentation is a processing method that plays a role in improving the sensory quality, functional characteristics, and biological activity of products. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of fermentation duration using Lactobacillus plantarum on antidiabetic activity and consumer acceptance level of S. hystrix tea. The fermentation process was carried out for 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 days under microaerophilic conditions at 37 ℃. The results showed that the highest increase in functional characteristics was obtained on the third day of fermentation, marked by higher phenol content (12.94 ± 0.68 mg GAE/g), phlorotannin (14.60 ± 0.95 mg PGE/g), and inhibition activity of α-amylase (82.80% ± 1.70%) and α-glucosidase (91.26% ± 0.44%) than those of other experimental treatments. Sensory evaluation showed that longer fermentation duration reduced the taste and fishy odor of S. hystrix tea. The third day of fermentation treatment yielded the highest acceptance scores for aroma, taste, and overall product. Therefore, a 3-day fermentation duration is recommended as the optimal condition to produce S. hystrix tea with enhanced functional and sensory qualities.