Shelf-life and antioxidant activity of beef meatball containing api-api mangrove (Avicennia marina) leaf flour

Abstract

Abstract Api-Api Mangrove (Avicennia marina) is one of the pioneers in the mangrove forest ecosystem. Avicennia marina belongs to the Verbenaceae family and is a cosmopolitan plant distributed along tropical and sub-tropical coastlines. Api-Api Mangrove (Avicennia marina) is a plant that is rich in bioactive substances such as antibacterial and antioxidant which are good for food preservation. Meatball is the one of the meat products which is easily damaged by bacteria and has a short shelf life. This study aimed to evaluate the microbiology quality and antioxidant activity of beef meatballs containing Api-Api Mangrove (Avicennia marina) leaf flour as a natural preservative. This research used a factorial completely randomized design. The treatments were meatballs containing Avicennia marina leaf flour 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% that were refrigerated during 5 different storage times (at 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 days). The shelf life of the meatballs was evaluated for microbial content, initially and at 2, 4, 6, and 8 days (S0, S2, S4, S6, and S8) using a standard total plate count method. Antioxidant activity was analyzed at S0 and S8. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to examine shelf life, and Duncan’s Multiple Range Test followed. Descriptive analysis was done on antioxidant activity. The results showed that the treatments did not significant on the shelf life of the meatballs. The shelf life of meatballs containing 20% of Avicennia marina leaf flour was longer (P<0,05) than other treatments. On the fourth day of storage, the meatballs were spoilage as indicated by the number of bacteria reaching 106 colonies per gram except the meatballs containing 20% of Avicennia marina leaf flour. These indicated that the Avicennia marina leaf flour can suppress the growth of bacteria. The antioxidant activity of meatballs containing Avicennia marina leaf flour was higher than those of the control. It can be concluded that the use of Avicennia marina leaf flour can be used as a natural preservative to support the resilience of the food sector.