Basil Leaves as a Natural Pathogenic Bacterial Inhibitor in Beef

Abstract

Meat is a protein-rich diet vulnerable to physical, chemical, and microbiological alterations. Basil ( Ocimum basilicum L.) is an herb often consumed with active chemicals such as flavonoids and eugenol. This research aimed to see if basil leaves could be a natural inhibitor of pathogenic microorganisms in beef during storage. The study used a completely randomized design that treated beef by soaking it in basil leaf juice. The results showed that soaking beef in basil leaf extract had a substantial influence (P<0.05) on TPC, a very significant effect (P<0.01) on total E. coli bacteria growth and meat pH, but no effect (P > 0.05) on total S. aureus bacteria growth. The results indicate that soaking beef in basil leaf extract for 8 hours reduced TPC, suppressed the growth of E. coli bacteria, and maintained the pH of the meat but had no influence on the growth of S. aureus bacteria.