The Effect of Adding Red Beetroot Extract (Beta vulgaris) on the Physical and Sensory Characteristics of Beef Se’i

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of adding red beet (Beta vulgaris) extract on the physical and sensory characteristics of se’i beef. The method used was a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with four treatments: T0 (no addition of red beet extract, only 300 mg saltpeter), T1 (addition of 3% red beet extract), T2 (addition of 5% red beet extract), and T3 (addition of 7% red beet extract). Each treatment was replicated four times. The observed variables included physical quality (L*a*b* color values) and sensory quality (color and aroma). The L*a*b* color data were analyzed using ANOVA, while the organoleptic test was analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test followed by the Mann-Whitney test to determine differences between treatments. The results showed that the addition of red beet extract did not have a significant effect (P>0.05) on the L*a*b* color values (L* values indicating brightness, a* values in the green chromatic range, and b* values in the blue chromatic range), but had a significant effect (P<0.05) on color and aroma. It was concluded that the addition of red beet extract (Beta vulgaris) at the 7% level resulted in a pale red color and a neutral aroma. This shows that the addition of red beet extract can increase the sensory value of beef se'i meat. The importance of red beetroot extract lies in its potential as a natural alternative to synthetic nitrite, which can help reduce the risk of forming nitrosamine compounds that are harmful to health.