Eksperimen Mikrobiologi : Mengungkap Keberadaan Bakteri Patogen dalam Pempek

Pempek is a traditional Indonesian food that is widely loved by people because of its delicious taste and easy availability in various regions, especially in coastal areas. However, although pempek is made from ingredients that are generally safe for consumption, the unhygienic production process has the potential to cause contamination by pathogenic bacteria. The process of making pempek involves many hands, unsterile processing, and inadequate storage can increase the risk of bacterial proliferation, especially in food served by street vendors. This study aims to identify the presence of pathogenic bacteria in pempek sold by street vendors around the campus environment. By using sample dilution methods, inoculation onto Nutrient Agar (NA) media, as well as colony morphology differentiation and Gram staining, this study successfully identified several pathogenic bacteria that have the potential to harm health. The bacteria found included Staphylococcus sp., known as a pathogen causing food poisoning, E. coli which can cause gastrointestinal disorders, and Pseudomonas sp. which can cause skin and respiratory infections. Based on the results of this study, it is important for local food producers to maintain cleanliness and ensure hygienic production processes so that the food sold is safe for consumption. Furthermore, food quality monitoring by authorities and education for producers on the importance of hygiene in food preparation need to be strengthened to prevent the risk of foodborne illnesses. Furthermore, regular inspections of food sold by street vendors are crucial to ensure it is free from harmful microbial contamination. Implementing proper sanitation procedures at every stage of pempek production, from selecting raw materials to serving, can minimize the risk of microbial contamination.