Effect of basil (Ocimum sp.) essential oil addition in chitosan edible film on the quality of red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) in cold storage

Abstract

Setyaningsih R, Pangastuti A, Farahdilla N. 2023. Effect of basil (Ocimum sp.) essential oil addition in chitosan edible film on the quality of red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) in cold storage. Asian J Trop Biotechnol 21: 18-25. One of the marine fish favored by the community is the red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus Poey, 1860). However, the quality of fresh fish will rapidly deteriorate during the auctioning, sorting, and marketing processes. Basil essential oil contains antimicrobial compounds that may improve the efficacy of edible film in preserving fish quality. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of using edible chitosan film with glycerol plasticizer and basil essential oil to increase the shelf life of red snapper and inhibit the growth of microorganisms. This study used two treatments consisting of basil essential oil (0%, 1.5%, 3%, and 4.5%), with sample testing on days 0, 3, and 6, and storing the samples at 4°C. The results showed that fish flesh's pH and water content revealed a statistically significant (P= 0.05) difference between treatments. However, Total Volatile Base (TVB) values for optimum treatment of 3% and 4.5% did not significantly differ. The Total Plate Count (TPC) showed that red snapper coated with an edible film treatment of 3% was the most optimal for inhibiting microbial growth. The panelists also preferred red snapper fillets with an edible film containing 3% basil essential oil because it increases the fillets' shelf life compared to other treatments.