Tarisa Adma

Total Plate Count (Tpc) Test And Contamination Of Coliform Escherichia Coli And Salmonella Sp. Bacteria In Cucumulawak Jamu In Traditional Markets In Medan City

Introduction

Total plate count (tpc) test and contamination of coliform escherichia coli and salmonella sp. Bacteria in cucumulawak jamu in traditional markets in medan city. Investigate coliform (E. coli & Salmonella) contamination in traditional Cucumulawak Jamu from Medan markets using TPC & MPN tests. See which samples exceed BPOM limits.

Abstract

Jamu is a traditional Indonesian drink derived from plants that are efficacious for use in efforts to maintain health and cure diseases. However, because the manufacturing process is still simple, jamu is at high risk of contamination by microorganisms such as fungi and pathogenic bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Salmonella sp. This study aims to determine the presence of Escherichia coli and Salmonella sp. Coliform contamination in Javanese turmeric herbal medicine sold in traditional markets. This study is based on the simple process of making jamu using hands, unclean clothes from jamu makers, and unclean processing areas, this will increase the risk of contamination and result in jamu being contaminated by microorganisms that can endanger consumer health. Data collection techniques use testing and counting of bacterial colonies with the TPC (Total Plate Count) method and Escherichia coli bacteria with the MPN (Most Probable Number) method which consists of Presumptive Test, Confirmatory Test and Complementary Test. The results of the analysis showed that in the TPC (Total Plate Count) test, three of the five samples, namely Sp 1, Sp 3 and Sp 4, showed results that were suitable for consumption because the TPC (Total Plate Count) value did not exceed the maximum limit of BPOM 2019 and two of the five samples, namely Sp 2 and Sp 5, showed results that were not suitable for consumption because they exceeded the maximum limit of BPOM 2019.

Review

This study addresses a highly relevant public health issue concerning the safety of traditional Indonesian *jamu*, specifically *Cucumulawak jamu*, sold in traditional markets. The abstract effectively introduces *jamu* as an important traditional medicine and highlights the inherent risks of microbial contamination due to its often simple and potentially unhygienic manufacturing processes. The stated objective to determine the presence of pathogenic bacteria, notably *Escherichia coli* and *Salmonella sp.*, is clear and pertinent given the potential health implications for consumers. The paper's focus on samples from traditional markets in Medan City provides a specific geographical context for its findings. The methodology described includes the Total Plate Count (TPC) method for assessing overall microbial load and the Most Probable Number (MPN) method, encompassing presumptive, confirmatory, and complementary tests, specifically for *Escherichia coli*. The reported TPC results indicate significant variability among samples, with three out of five samples meeting BPOM 2019 consumption standards, while two samples exceeded these limits, rendering them unsuitable. These findings alone underscore critical food safety concerns and reinforce the abstract's initial premise about contamination risks due to unsanitary practices by jamu makers and processing areas. However, a critical limitation of the abstract is the complete absence of results pertaining to the *Escherichia coli* and *Salmonella sp.* contamination, despite these being explicitly stated as primary objectives and the MPN method for *E. coli* being detailed. This omission means the abstract fails to fully address its core research question regarding these specific pathogenic bacteria. While the TPC results provide valuable insights into general microbial quality, the lack of data for the target pathogens makes the presented abstract incomplete. For the full paper, it would be crucial to present these results clearly, along with discussions on their implications for consumer health and necessary hygiene interventions in the production of *jamu*.

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