Tempe Production

1. Cleaning
Initial step in tempe processing is to clean soybean from physical
contaminants such as gravel, metal, and other impurities. This process is
important since it will affect the quality of tempe. Tap water can be used in
this process.
2. Soaking
Clean soybean deeply soaked using clear water in room temperature.
During this process, water mass transfer is occur. Water is absorbed by
soybean that become approximately twice the initial weight. Soaking allow
dehulling to be more ease and faster, and also to let the beans more
tender and also allows soybeans to absorb more water during boiling
process, therefore help peeling process. During this process, beans soaked
into water inside large sink. Fungi growth inhibitor factor will be dissolved
into water.
3. Washing
Soaked soybean then washed using clean water to prevent remaining dirt
in soaking water attached to the beans.
4. Heating/Boiling
Heatin process can be conducted by both steaming or boiling to eliminate
bacteria contaminating beans that disadvantageous for fungi growth, to
soften the beans and also for tripsin inhibitor inactivation. Fungi can not
grow on tough beans, therefore beans need to get soften for fungi growth
suitable condition.
5. Dehulling
Since fungi can not properly grow on beans with skin, dehulling is very
important to achieve optimum fungi growth. Traditionally, dehulling was
conducted by pressing the beans using tempe maker foot sole, which was
considered unhygienic. Modern factory using dehulling machine to ensure
hygienity.
6. Soaking ,pH= 4,5
Second or repeated soaking conducted to increase beans acidity to
suitable condition (pH 4,5) to promote fungi growth. During this soaking,
increased acidity inhibit bacteria growth, therefore bacteria will not
compete with the fungi. Citric acid usually used to soaking water to
shorten this process.
7. WASHING
Beans then washed again to remove foam formed on the surface of
soaking water.
8. STEAMING, 60 MENIT
Beans steamed for 60 minutes to further prepared them for fungi growth.
9. Drain and cooling
Steamed beans drained to remove water excessive water and also cooled
to decrease the temperature suitable for fungi growth. Beans need to
drained thoroughly since excessive water can induce bacteria growth.
10.Innoculation
Cooled beans in approximately room temperature can be inoculated using
starter and homogenized.
11.Incubation, 300 C for 36-48 hours

Innoculated beans then put into package and incubated in room

temperature (approximately 300 C) for 36-48 hours. Tempe package
material need to consider fungi growth condition. The material need to
ensure good aeration so the fermentation will running well. In Indonesia,
tempe usually packed using banana leaves, teakwood leaves, stem of
banana bunch, plastic, paper and bamboo trunk.
Below are some pictures of tempe production

Picture of first soaking

Picture of soybean dehulling using dehulling machine

Picture of second soaking to increasi acidity to pH= 4,5

Picture of inoculation; after drained and cooling, innoculation is also

conducted in this draining equipment

Picture of tempe packaging using plastic and incubation in 300 C for 36-48 hours