Vol.9 (2019) No. 5 ISSN: 2088-5334 The Effect of the Addition of “Senduduk” leaves (Melastoma malabthricum) on The Characteristic of Crackers Kesuma Sayuti #* , Deivy Andhika Permata # , Oni Novita # # Department of Agricultural Product Technology, Andalas University, Limau Manis, Padang, Indonesia E-mail: * kesuma@ae.unand.ac.id Abstract— Many studies reported that “Senduduk” leaves have a bioactive component, but the utilization has not optimal. This study aimed to determine the effect of the addition of “Senduduk” leaves on the characteristics of crackers. This study used Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with 5 treatments, that was the addition of leaves (A; 0%, B; 4%, C; 6%, D; 8%, and E; 10%) and 3 replications. It was conducted in two stages. The first step was to determine the products that were well accepted (score ≥ 3.5) by using sensory analysis. The second step was the chemical analysis of the products. The Data were analyzed using ANOVA and continued with Duncan New Multiple Range Test (DMNRT) at a significance level of 5%. The results of the sensory analysis showed that all treatments were acceptable in color, crispness, and taste (score ≥ 3.5). There are significant differences between the treatment on the moisture content, ash content, free fatty acid levels, and no significant difference between the treatment on the fat content and protein content. The best product was the addition of 8% leaves, with moisture content 3.84% ± 0.57; ash content 1.46% ± 0.02; fat content 21.86% ± 0.43; free fatty acids content 0.16% ± 0.02; protein content 8.93% ± 0.48; tannin 0.063% ± 0.03; quercitrin 2.74 ppm, and antioxidant activity (IC 50 ) 7,013 ± 124.56 ppm and the mean value of sensory analysis were, 3.92 ± 0.81 of color, 4.24 ± 0.66 of crispness and 3.60 ± 0.71 of taste. Keywords— antioxidant activity; crackers; quercitrin; “Senduduk” leaves; tannin. I. INTRODUCTION A"Senduduk" is a wild plant belonging to the Melastomataceae family. Usually, this plant grows in places that get enough sunlight. A part of the plant such as fruit, leaves, roots, and seeds, can be used as a treatment for various diseases [1]. Besides that, “Senduduk” fruit can be used as a natural coloring agent [2] The young “Senduduk” leaves are eaten as fresh vegetables for the treatment of rheumatism, arthritis and for relaxation of the feet[3]. It can also be used to treat digestive disorders (dyspepsia), bacillary dysentery, diarrhea, hepatitis, leucorrhoea, thrush, edema, and ulcers [1]. In the area of South Sulawesi, the local people use leaves and fruits as medicine to stomach aches, cough medicines, toothaches and wound medicine [4]. In West Sumatra, especially in the “Lubuak Tampuruang, Kuranji” area, young leaves are used as vegetables cooked with fish and are believed to be good for heart health. Leaf extract produced using methanol as a solvent has the ability as an antimicrobial, but the extract produced using the water solvent does not show its activity as an antimicrobial [5]. “Senduduk” leaf extract (Melastoma malabathricum L.) contains active compounds that were alkaloids, saponins, tannins, phenolics, flavonoids, triterpenoids. steroids, and glycosides. The compounds that act as an antifungal. The fungus T. mentagrophytes is more sensitive to the inhibitory effect of “Senduduk” leaf extract, was compared with the yeast of Candida albicans [3]. One of the efforts to improve the utility “Senduduk” leaves is to produce functional food by using these leaves in the manufacture of snack products, one of them was crackers. Crackers are a type of biscuits or cookies which in its process, require fermentation or not, is flat, and when broken, the appearance looks multi-layered. It was hoped, the addition of “Senduduk” leaves resulting crackers that not only contain nutrients but also have functional added value [6]. The objective of this study was to study :(1), the effect of addition concentration of the leaves on the sensory analysis; (2) the characteristics of the crackers that acceptance by the panelists II. MATERIAL AND METHODS A. Materials The main ingredient, in this study, “Senduduk” leaves (Melastoma malabathricum L.), was obtained from around of Limau Manis Campus of Andalas University Padang, Indonesia. The leaves were taken 1-3 of shoots. It also uses flour, margarine, salt, and water. Chemical material used was DPPH, (Aldrich), methanol, distilled water, quercitrum phosphoric acid (Merck), indigocarmin solution (Merck), 1676