Potential probiotics from fruit waste coming from traditional markets in Semarang City: Study of chemical and microbiological quality

Objective: This study aimed to examine the potential for probiotics in fruit waste from traditional markets in Semarang City in terms of chemical and microbiological qualities. Materials and Methods: The study used two designs: a completely randomized design with four treatments and four replications. Result: The research on mapping the potential of fruit waste originating from various traditional markets in Semarang City based on different market activities affected the potential hydrogen (pH) value, lactic acid bacteria (LAB), total bacteria, and total fungi of fruit waste, while carbo¬hydrate, protein, fat, and fiber content were not affected. Identification of fruit waste as a fer¬mentation starter affected the pH value, total acidity, total LAB, total bacteria, total fungi, and Salmonella, while Escherichia coli was not affected. Waste from supplier market activities yielded a better pH, better chemical and microbiological content, and contained carbohydrates, protein, fat, and fiber of 59.83, 3.53, 2.67, and 4.94 gm/100 gm. Conclusion: The best fermentation time for fruit wastage was four days, which had a pH value of 2.85, total acid of 0.90%, total LAB, total bacteria, and total fungi of 4.00. 6.33, and 3.00 log colony-forming unit/gm, and no pathogenic bacteria, Salmonella or E. coli. Fruit waste could be used as probiotics, with fermentation processing for four days to improve the chemical and micro¬biological quality of the waste.