# Effects of Organic Acid Coagulants on the Textural and Physical-Chemical Properties of Tofu
## 4 Conclusions  
This study aimed to explore the effects of various vinegar types and concentrations on tofu's coagulation, yield, and textural properties, contributing valuable insights into optimizing tofu production processes. These findings highlight the benefits of using vinegar as a coagulant, such as faster coagulation times and desirable textural characteristics, thus offering a practical alternative to traditional coagulants in tofu manufacturing. Tofu  
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c} \hline \hline
**Treatment** & **L* & **a*b* & **b* \\ \hline T1C5 1 [FOOTNOTE:1]Footnote 1: T1C5 = tofu coagulated with apple vinegar at a 5% concentration; 2 T2C3 = tofu coagulated with rice vinegar at a 3% concentration; 3 T3C3 = tofu coagulated with white vinegar at a 3% concentration; 4 T4C5 = tofu coagulated with apple vinegar + white vinegar at a 5% concentration; 6 T6C3 = tofu coagulated with rice vinegar + white vinegar at a 3% concentration. \\ \hline T4C5 4 [FOOTNOTE:4]Footnote 4: T1C5 = tofu coagulated with apple vinegar at a 5% concentration; 2 T2C3 = tofu coagulated with rice vinegar at a 3% concentration; 3 T3C3 = tofu coagulated with white vinegar at a 3% concentration; 5 T5C = tofu coagulated with apple vinegar + white vinegar at a 5% concentration. 6 T6C3 = tofu coagulated with rice vinegar + white vinegar at a 3% concentration. \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table}
Table 4: Colorimetry values according to the CIE L*a*b* scale in the treatments.  
coagulated with rice vinegar + white vinegar at a 3% concentration achieved coagulation at 0.78 min. This study indicates that higher concentrations of vinegar can decrease the coagulation time compared with the times required by other authors, who, when using inorganic salts, required between 15 and 45 min for curd formation.  
Regarding the tofu yield, the treatment with apple vinegar at a 5% concentration showed a yield of 23.73%; this property was influenced by factors such as the isoelectric point of the mixture, the acid concentration, and the pKa with respect to the acids present in the tested vinegar. Additionally, the different types of vinegar influenced the textural properties of the tofu. The apple and white vinegars enhanced the cohesiveness and elasticity, resulting in a tofu that was more cohesive and which could recover a significant portion of its structure after deformation. The evaluated properties in the tofu (the hardness, fracturability, cohesiveness, adhesiveness, and elasticity) were influenced by factors such as the temperature, the warming and cooling speed, and the pH because, when using a matrix in which temperatures of \(>\)80 \({}^{\circ}\)C and 38 \({}^{\circ}\)C, and a pH from 4.7 to 5.0, were managed, the obtained tofu showed excellent hardness and elasticity properties. For the colorimetry, it was shown that the tofu showed tendencies toward yellow and white, and that the vinegar type influenced this characteristic in the tofu; if a tofu with a tendency toward white is desired, then rice or white vinegar should be used as a coagulant; to obtain tofu with a tendency toward yellow, apple vinegar should be used as a coagulant.  
Conceptualization, C.P.-Y. and M.G.-T.; Methodology, C.P.-Y., M.G.-T., J.P.-P. and G.M.-G.; Validation, B.V.M.; Formal analysis, C.P.-Y., J.P.-P. and B.V.M.; Investigation, C.P.-Y., M.G.-T., J.P.-P., G.M.-G., S.G.-L. and B.V.M.; Resources, C.P.-Y.; Data curation, C.P.-Y. and M.G.-T.; Writing--original draft, M.G.-T. and B.V.M. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.  
This research received no external funding.  
Not applicable.  
The original contributions presented in the study are included in the article, further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author.  
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.