Degradation of phytic acid from tithonia (Tithonia diversifolia) leaves using Lactobacillus bulgaricus at different fermentation times

Abstract. Pazla R, Yanti G, Jamarun N, Arief, Elihasridas, Sucitra LS. 2021. Degradation of phytic acid from tithonia (Tithonia diversifolia) leaves using Lactobacillus bulgaricus at different fermentation times. Biodiversitas 22: 4794-4798. The aim of this study is to reduce high level of phytic acid in tithonia (Tithonia diversifolia) leaves by fermentation technique using Lactobacillus bulgaricus. A completely randomized design consisting of four treatments (fermentation time) i.e. T2: 2 days, T3: 3 days, T4: 4 days and T5: 5 days and experiment was performed in four replicates. The parameters measured were pH, phytase enzyme activity, total bacterial colony, phytic acid content, and phytic acid degradation. The results showed that the fermentation time had a significant effect (P<0.05) on pH, phytase enzyme activity, total bacterial colony, phytic acid content, and phytic acid degradation. The conclusion of this study is that on fifth day (Treatment T5) fermented tithonia leaves produced the lowest levels of phytic acid (3.48 mg/ 100g) with the highest level of degradation (64.81%).