MICROBIOLOGICAL QUALITY EVALUATION OF TURMERIC–TAMARIND JAMU BASED ON TOTAL PLATE COUNT AT NGEPOS MARKET, KLATEN REGENCY

Abstract

Turmeric–tamarind jamu is a widely consumed ready-to-drink traditional herbal beverage in Indonesia. Because it is commonly prepared and sold under non-sterile conditions, microbiological quality is an important aspect of consumer safety and regulatory compliance. Total Plate Count (TPC) is a standard indicator used to assess the microbial quality of food and beverage products and to determine compliance with microbiological standards. One milliliter of turmeric–tamarind jamu was homogenized with 9 mL of sterile distilled water to obtain a 10⁻¹ dilution. Serial dilutions were prepared up to 10⁻⁵. One milliliter from each dilution was inoculated in duplicate onto sterile Petri dishes, followed by the addition of 10 mL of Plate Count Agar (PCA). The plates were gently mixed, allowed to solidify, and incubated in an inverted position at 37 °C for 24–48 h. Sterility controls were included for the medium, diluent, and working environment. Colony-forming units were enumerated using a colony counter, and the average TPC was calculated from countable plates. The results showed that turmeric–tamarind jamu from the first seller had a TPC value of 2.28 × 10² CFU/mL, while that from the second seller had a TPC value of 2.14 × 10² CFU/mL. These values were well below the maximum permissible microbial limit specified in Badan Pengawas Obat dan Makanan (BPOM) Regulation No. 29 of  2023 for boiled herbal preparations (<5×10⁷ CFU/mL), indicating that all samples complied with the applicable microbiological quality standards.