Rambutan seed waste has become a noteworthy problem in rambutan canning industry that
need to be solved. Previous finding showed that rambutan seed could be utilized by extracting
the fat that could be utilized as confectionery fat with improved characteristic by fermentation
and roasting treatment. The study to evaluate the cocoa-like flavor compounds development
as the effect of these process was carried out. The rambutan seed was fermented for 3, 6, and
9 days followed/unfollowed by roasting process at 150°C for 30 min. The browning index of
the powder, the Maillard Reaction Products (MRPs) and the volatile flavor compounds of the
rambutan seed fat were analysed. The study found that the fermentation treatment followed by
roasting treatment significantly increase the browning index and melanoidin content in powder
and fat, respectively. Six and 9 days fermentation followed by roasting possessed highest value
of browning index (1.4875 and 1.5485 AU, respectively) and melanoidin content (0.318 and
0.295 AU, respectively). The result also showed that fermentation of rambutan seed followed
by roasting process could successfully developed desired pyrazine compounds, in which the
contribution of the pyrazine content could be as much as 42.69% of total flavor compound of
rambutan seed fat.