APPLICATION OF NUTMEG ESSENTIAL OIL AS PRESERVATIVE OF SODIUM ALGINATE-BASED EDIBLE COATING

• Main Author: Ummah, Khairiatul
• Format: Theses
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/66368
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Background and purpose: Foodborne disease is one of the most common health problems and is caused by infectious agents such as pathogenic bacteria that enter the body through food consumption. Various packaging techniques are used to prevent food spoilage, one of such alternatives is the use of edible coatings. Functional additives such as antimicrobial and antioxidants agents can be used in the manufacture of edible coatings. From various studies, it is known that nutmeg essential oil has antimicrobial and antioxidant effects due to its secondary metabolite content. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to develop an edible coating with the addition of nutmeg essential oil to prolong the shelf-life of strawberries. Methods: The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of nutmeg essential oil was carried out using the macrodilution method. The edible coating was made using sodium alginate, glycerol, tween 80, span 80, and nutmeg essential oil. The characterization of edible coating included film thickness, film transparency, tensile strength, elongation, and water vapor transmission rate (WVTR). The antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of edible coatings were carried out using DPPH and plant colony-counting methods, respectively. Evaluation of strawberry during storage included organoleptic test, weight loss, determination of total phenol content, and microbial limit test. Results: The MIC values of S. aureus, E. coli, P. aeruginosa, S. typhimurium were 0,063; 0,250; 0,250; and 0,500%, respectively. The addition of nutmeg essential oil resulted increase in thickness and tensile strength, while transparency and WVTR were decreased. The percentage of elongation varies between 13.149-29.231%. Antioxidant and antibacterial activity increased with the addition of nutmeg essential oil. F4 had the highest percentage of inhibition in the antioxidant (38.615%) and antibacterial (86.86-98.48%). The results of the sample test during storage showed that edible coating could extend the shelf-life of strawberries. Conclusion: The sodium alginate-based edible coating is successfully obtained and able to reduce the weight lost during storage, inhibit the ripening process, protect, and prolong the shelf-life of strawberries.