Pemanfaatan Rumput Laut Gracilaria verrucosa Sebagai Produk Bakto Agar dan Aplikasinya Dalam Media Pertumbuhan Mikroorganisme

Abstract

Gracilaria verrucosa is a kind of seaweed cultivated in brackish water with water salinity of 6-14 ppt. Gracilaria produces a primary compound hydrocoloid metabolite called agarophyt. The aim of this study was to utilize Gracilaria as a bacto agar product with three methods of drying and also to apply bacto agar as a gelling agent in the microbial growth media. The source of Gracilaria sp used in this study was a seaweed that is cultivated by farmers in the village of Langen Sari, Subang. Characterization of raw materials included analysis of moisture content, ash content, protein content, fat content, and carbohydrate content. Acid treatment was carried out before the extraction processing which the acid treatment used of 1% CH3COOH. Temperature and extraction time constant were used at a temperature of 90oC for 45 minutes. Drying methods were done with three, oven dryer, spray dryer, and drum drier. The application of bacto agar as microbial growth media was applying the product by growing yeast and bacteria. Nutrient Agar has been used as a media for the growth of bacteria and Potato Dextrose Agar has been used as a media for the growth of yeast. The inoculation of microbial cultures performed in the plate agar media. In the plate agar media, syneresis occurred when the incubation was accomplished for 48 hours. Therefore additional tests were performed to determine the concentration of the bacto agar to reduce syneresis by testing the addition of gel strength with bacto concentration to 1.5%, 2%, and 2.5%.