Electronic Theses and Dissertation

Daging ayam broiler merupakan salah satu sumber protein hewani yang banyak dikonsumsi masyarakat, namun masih memiliki tantangan berupa tingginya kadar kolesterol dan potensi kontaminasi bakteri patogen seperti Salmonella typhimurium dan Escherichia coli. Salah satu upaya untuk memperbaiki kualitas fisik dan kimia daging sekaligus meningkatkan keamanannya adalah melalui pemberian herbal fermentasi cair sebagai aditif alami. Herbal fermentasi ini merupakan kombinasi kunyit, bawang putih, mahkota dewa, jahe merah, dan gula merah dengan Starbio sebagai starter fermentasi, yang mengandung senyawa bioaktif seperti kurkumin, allicin, flavonoid, gingerol, dan saponin dengan potensi hipokolesterolemik, antiinflamasi, dan antimikroba.
Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengevaluasi pengaruh pemberian herbal fermentasi cair terhadap kadar kolesterol, kualitas fisik (daya ikat air, susut masak, dan keempukan), serta keamanan mikrobiologis daging ayam broiler. Penelitian dilaksanakan di Laboratorium Universitas Syiah Kuala dan Universitas Diponegoro pada Juni–Juli 2025 dengan menggunakan Rancangan Acak Lengkap (RAL) empat perlakuan: P0 (tanpa herbal fermentasi/kontrol), P1 (1%), P2 (2%), dan P3 (3%), masing-masing dengan empat ulangan.
Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pemberian herbal fermentasi cair tidak menghasilkan efek antibakteri terhadap Salmonella typhimurium dan Escherichia coli, yang ditunjukkan dengan tidak terbentuknya zona hambat (0 mm) pada seluruh perlakuan. Kadar kolesterol daging tertinggi terdapat pada kontrol (139,87 mg/100 g), sedangkan terendah pada P0 sebesar 74,73 mg/100 g. Perlakuan P2 menurunkan kolesterol hingga 91,18 mg/100 g, atau ±35% dari kontrol, dan lebih efektif dibandingkan P1 (119,74 mg/100 g) dan P3 (112,36 mg/100 g). Dari sisi kualitas fisik, daya ikat air tertinggi diperoleh pada P2 (2,090%), yang diikuti dengan susut masak yang stabil (37,12%) dan keempukan yang tetap berada dalam kategori empuk (1,29 mm/g/dt). Meskipun P3 menghasilkan keempukan tertinggi, P2 menjadi perlakuan paling optimal karena memberikan keseimbangan antara penurunan kolesterol dan peningkatan kualitas fisik daging.
Berdasarkan hasil penelitian, dapat disimpulkan bahwa pemberian herbal fermentasi cair dengan dosis 2% (P2) merupakan perlakuan paling efektif dalam menurunkan kadar kolesterol dan memperbaiki kualitas fisik daging ayam broiler, khususnya daya ikat air dan keempukan, meskipun belum menunjukkan efek antibakteri pada jaringan otot. Penelitian ini memberikan dasar ilmiah bagi pengembangan pakan fungsional berbasis herbal fermentasi untuk meningkatkan mutu gizi dan kualitas fisik daging unggas.

Broiler chicken meat is one of the most widely consumed sources of animal protein; however, it still poses challenges due to its high cholesterol content and the potential for contamination by pathogenic bacteria such as Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli. One of the efforts to improve the physical and chemical quality of meat while enhancing its safety is through the administration of liquid fermented herbal supplements as natural additives. This fermented herbal supplement is a combination of turmeric, garlic, mahkota dewa (Phaleria macrocarpa), red ginger, and palm sugar, fermented using Starbio as a starter. It contains bioactive compounds such as curcumin, allicin, flavonoids, gingerol, and saponins, which possess hypocholesterolemic, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of administering liquid fermented herbal supplements on the cholesterol levels, physical qualities (water holding capacity, cooking loss, and tenderness), and microbiological safety of broiler chicken meat. The research was conducted at the laboratories of Syiah Kuala University and Diponegoro University from June to July 2025, using a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with four treatments: P0 (control, without fermented herbs), P1 (1%), P2 (2%), and P3 (3%), each with four replications. The results showed that the administration of liquid fermented herbal supplements did not produce antibacterial effects against Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli, as evidenced by the absence of inhibition zones (0 mm) across all treatments. The highest cholesterol content was found in the control group (139.87 mg/100 g), while the lowest was observed in P0 at 74.73 mg/100 g. Treatment P2 reduced cholesterol levels to 91.18 mg/100 g, approximately a 35% reduction compared to the control, and was more effective than P1 (119.74 mg/100 g) and P3 (112.36 mg/100 g). In terms of physical quality, the highest water holding capacity was obtained in P2 (2.090%), along with a stable cooking loss (37.12%) and tenderness that remained within the "tender" category (1.29 mm/g/sec). Although P3 produced the highest tenderness, P2 was considered the most optimal treatment due to its balanced effect on cholesterol reduction and physical meat quality improvement. Based on the findings, it can be concluded that administering 2% liquid fermented herbal supplements is the most effective treatment in reducing cholesterol levels and improving the physical quality of broiler chicken meat, particularly in terms of water holding capacity and tenderness, although it did not exhibit antibacterial effects in muscle tissue. This study provides a scientific foundation for the development of functional feed based on fermented herbal additives to enhance the nutritional value and physical quality of poultry meat.