Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui komposisi kimia, karakteristik fisik dan sensorik dendeng dari daging kambing yang diberi pakan daun pepaya berbagai level. Dua puluh tujuh ekor kambing betina umur sekitar enam bulan dengan berat antara 12-14 kg digunakan dalam penelitian ini. Semua kambing dipelihara dalam kandang individu dan diberi pakan daun pepaya dengan level 0, 25 dan 50% selama tiga bulan. Pada akhir pemeliharaan, sembilan ekor kambing dipotong dengan masing-masing perlakuan terdiri dari tiga ekor. Daging yang digunakan untuk pembuatan dendeng diambil dari otot paha (Biceps femoris, Semimembranosus dan Semitendinosus). Dua cara pembuatan dendeng, yaitu dengan disayat dan digiling. Data komposisi kimia dan karakteristik fisik dianalisis variansi dengan analisis Randomized Complete Block Design dan perbedaan rata-rata diuji lanjut dengan Duncan’s New Multiple Range Test. Data sensorik dianalisis statistik non parameterik dengan metode Kruskal-Wallis. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa level daun pepaya mempengaruhi kadar protein dan asam palmitat (C16:0) dendeng mentah (P<0,05), namun berpengaruh tidak nyata pada kadar air, abu, lemak, asam lemak jenuh (SFA), asam lemak tak jenuh (UFA), asam kaprat (C10:0), laurat (C12:0), linoleat (C18:2) dan asam linolenat (18:3), pH, higroskofis, kekerasan, skor warna, tekstur dan skor kekerasan. Cara pembuatan dendeng mempengaruhi kadar protein, asam laurat dan pH dendeng mentah (P<0,01), kadar air, lemak, kekerasan dan skor tekstur (P<0,05), namun berpengaruh tidak nyata pada kadar abu, SFA, UFA, asam kaprat, palmitat, linoleat, linolenat, higroskofis, skor warna dan kekerasan. Level daun pepaya mempengaruhi asam kaprat dan kekerasan dendeng goreng (P<0,05), namun berpengaruh tidak nyata pada kadar air, protein, abu, lemak, SFA, UFA, asam laurat, palmitat, linoleat, linolenat, pH dan susut masak, skor warna dan kekerasan. Cara pembuatan dendeng mempengaruhi kadar air dan asam linoleat dendeng goreng (P<0,01), kadar protein, asam kaprat, laurat, linolenat, SM dan skor tekstur dendeng goreng (P<0,05), namun berpengaruh tidak nyata pada kadar abu, lemak, SFA, UFA, asam palmitat, pH, kekerasan, skor warna, kekerasan, kemanisan, keasinan, dan skor kepahitan. Berdasarkan pada komposisi kimia, karakteristik fisik dan sensorik, maka dendeng paling baik adalah pada P2 (daging kambing yang diberi pakan 50% daun pepaya). Dendeng sayat mempunyai komposisi kimia, karakteristik fisik dan sensorik dendeng yang paling baik.

The study was conducted to investigate the chemical composition, physical and sensory characteristics of dendeng from meat of goat fed various level of papaya leaves. Twenty seven goats of six months old weighing 12-14 kg were used in this experiment. They were grown in individual pens for three months and fed papaya leaves at the level of 0%, 25% and 50%. At the end of growing period, nine goats were slaughtered, each consisted of three goats. Dendeng was from thigh meat (Biceps femoris, Semimembranosus, Semitendinosus) of goats. There were two methods of making dendeng, namely sliced and ground. Data of chemical and physical of dendeng were analysed by variance analyses of Randomized Complete Block Design and the differences between means were tested by Duncan’s New Multiple Range Test. The sensory data were tested by a non parametrical statistics as explained by Kruskal-Wallis. The results indicated that the level of papaya leaves gave significant differences on protein and palmitic acid of fresh dendeng (P<0.05). The treatments gave no significant differences on water, ash, fat, saturated fatty acid (SFA), unsaturated fatty acid (UFA), capric, lauric, lenoleic and linolenic acid contents, pH, absorption and firmness values, color, texture and firmness scores of fresh dendeng. Method of making dendeng gave significant differences on protein, lauric acid contents and pH value of fresh dendeng (P<0.01), water and fat contents, firmness value and texture score of fresh dendeng (P<0.05). The treatments gave no significant differences on ash, SFA and UFA, capric, palmitic, lenoleic and linolenic acid contents, absorption value, color and texture scores. The level of papaya leaves gave significant differences on capric acid and firmness value of fried dendeng (P<0.05). The treatments gave no significant differences on water, protein, ash, fat, SFA and UFA, lauric, palmitic, lenoleic and linolenic acid contents, pH and cooking loss values, color, texture, firmness, sweetness, saltness and bitterness scores. Method of making dendeng gave significant differences on water, capric, linolenic acid contents and texture score of fried dendeng (P<0.01), protein, lauric, linoleic acid contents and cooking loss (P<0.05). The treatments gave no significant differences on ash, fat, SFA and UFA, palmitic acid contents, pH and firmness values, color, texture, firmness, sweetness, saltness and bitterness scores. The best product on chemical composition, physical and sensory characteristics was on P2 (meat of goats given 50% papaya leaves). The sliced dendeng had the best chemical composition, physical and sensory characteristics

Kata Kunci : Pakan Ternak,Daun Pepaya,Daging Kambing Bligon,Komposisi Kimia,Bligon goat, Papaya leaves (Carica papaya), Chemical composition, Physical and sensory characteristic, Sliced and ground dendeng