PENGARUH PENAMBAHAN VOLUME MADU TERHADAP KARAKTERISTIK FISIKOKIMIA DAN ORGANOLEPTIK PADA MINUMAN DAUN KERSEN (Muntingia calabura L.)

This research aimed to evaluate the effect of varying honey volumes on the physicochemical and organoleptic characteristics of cherry leaf (Muntingia calabura L.) powder drink. Cherry leaves contain bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, tannins, and saponins that act as natural antioxidants but possess a bitter taste, necessitating the addition of natural sweeteners like honey. The study employed a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with one factor—honey volume—consisting of five treatments (P1 = 5 mL, P2 = 10 mL, P3 = 15 mL, P4 = 20 mL, and P5 = 25 mL), each replicated three times. The observed parameters included moisture content, pH, color (L*, a*, b*), antioxidant activity, flavonoid content, particle size, and sensory attributes (taste, aroma, color, and overall acceptance). The results indicated that the addition of honey significantly influenced both the physicochemical and sensory qualities of the cherry leaf powder drink. The highest antioxidant activity (83.13%) and flavonoid content (1.009 mg QE/g) were found in treatment P1, while the highest pH value (6.66) occurred in treatment P5. Organoleptic evaluation revealed that P5 (25 mL honey) was the most preferred treatment in terms of taste, aroma, color, and overall acceptability.