Analysis Of Formaldehyde Content In Ground Spices Sold At Traditional Markets In Surakarta Using Chromotropic Acid Method And Uv-Vis Spectrophotometry

Analisis Kandungan Formalin Pada Bumbu Giling Di Pasar Tradisional Surakarta Menggunakan Metode Asam Kromatofat Dan Spektrofotometri Uv-Vis

Abstract

Ground spices are widely used as ingredients in food preparation. Their relatively high moisture content and organic composition may accelerate quality deterioration during storage and potentially increase the risk of misuse of prohibited preservatives, including formaldehyde.This study aimed to identify formaldehyde in ground spices sold at traditional markets in Surakarta, determine the formaldehyde concentrations in positive samples using UV-Vis spectrophotometry, and evaluate the presence of formaldehyde in cooked chicken prepared with formaldehyde-positive ground spices.This study employed a descriptive experimental design. Five packaged ground spice samples were randomly collected from traders at a traditional market in Surakarta. Qualitative formaldehyde analysis was performed using the chromotropic acid method following distillation. Samples that tested positive were subsequently analyzed quantitatively using UV-Vis spectrophotometry at a maximum wavelength of 571 nm. The positive ground spice samples were also used to prepare cooked chicken, which was subsequently examined qualitatively for formaldehyde.Two of the five ground spice samples tested positive for formaldehyde, namely tongseng and curry spice samples. The mean formaldehyde concentrations were 0.45 ppm and 0.40 ppm, respectively. Standard solutions with concentrations ranging from 0.2 to 1.0 ppm showed increasing absorbance with increasing formaldehyde concentration. Qualitative analysis of the cooked chicken prepared with the positive ground spice samples showed negative results for formaldehyde. Formaldehyde was detected in some of the ground spice samples examined in this study. These findings highlight the importance of continuous food safety monitoring of ready-to-use ground spices sold in traditional markets.

Abstrak
Bumbu giling merupakan produk pangan yang banyak digunakan sebagai bahan dasar pengolahan makanan. Karakteristiknya yang mengandung air dan bahan organik menyebabkan produk tersebut relatif mudah mengalami penurunan mutu sehingga berpotensi disalahgunakan dengan penambahan bahan pengawet yang tidak diperbolehkan, termasuk formaldehida. Penelitian ini bertujuan mengidentifikasi keberadaan formaldehida pada bumbu giling yang dijual di pasar tradisional Surakarta, menentukan kadar formaldehida pada sampel positif menggunakan spektrofotometri UV-Vis, serta mengetahui keberadaan formaldehida pada olahan daging ayam setelah penambahan bumbu giling positif. Penelitian menggunakan desain deskriptif eksperimental. Sebanyak lima sampel bumbu giling kemasan diperoleh secara acak dari pedagang di pasar tradisional Surakarta. Pemeriksaan kualitatif dilakukan menggunakan metode asam kromatofat setelah proses destilasi. Sampel yang menunjukkan hasil positif kemudian dianalisis secara kuantitatif menggunakan spektrofotometri UV-Vis pada panjang gelombang maksimum 571 nm. Sampel positif juga digunakan untuk mengolah daging ayam dan selanjutnya diperiksa secara kualitatif. Dua dari lima sampel bumbu giling menunjukkan hasil positif formaldehida, yaitu bumbu tongseng dan bumbu kare. Kadar rata-rata formaldehida masing-masing sebesar 0,45 ppm dan 0,40 ppm. Analisis larutan standar pada konsentrasi 0,2–1,0 ppm menunjukkan peningkatan absorbansi seiring peningkatan konsentrasi. Pemeriksaan kualitatif pada olahan daging ayam setelah penambahan bumbu tongseng dan kare menunjukkan hasil negatif. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa formaldehida masih ditemukan pada sebagian bumbu giling yang diperiksa dan menegaskan pentingnya pengawasan keamanan pangan pada produk bumbu siap pakai di pasar tradisional.