ETHNOBOTANICAL STUDY OF PLANT-BASED NATURAL PRESERVATIVES AND COLORANTS FOR SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES IN BLITAR, INDONESIA

Marinda Sari Sofiyana; Mar'atus Sholihah; Alfiana Ika Anggraini

doi:10.36526/biosense.v9i4.9872

Authors

Marinda Sari Sofiyana Universitas Islam Balitar
Mar'atus Sholihah Universitas Islam Balitar
Alfiana Ika Anggraini Universitas Islam Balitar

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36526/biosense.v9i4.9872

Keywords:

Ethnobotany, Local knowledge, Natural colorants, Natural preservatives, Sustainability

Abstract

This study investigated the ethnobotanical use of plants as natural preservatives and colorants in food and textile applications in Blitar, Indonesia. An exploratory ethnobotanical survey using qualitative and quantitative approaches involved 30 informants through field observations, semi-structured interviews, and documentation. A total of 15 plant species belonging to 13 families were documented for food preservation, food coloration, and ecoprint dyeing. Leaves were the most frequently utilized plant parts (33.3%), followed by flowers, stems or bark, and fruits (20% each), while tuber accounted for 6.7%. Use Value (UV), calculated from informant reports, ranged from 0.13 to 0.70. Allium sativum and Pandanus amaryllifolius recorded the highest UV values (0.70), whereas Rhizophora apiculata had the lowest (0.13). The Informant Consensus Factor (ICF) was 0.94 for natural preservatives, 0.94 for food colorants, and 0.92 for ecoprint dyes, indicating substantial agreement among informants regarding plant use. Reported phytochemical compounds included eugenol, allicin, tannins, flavonoids, anthocyanins, and carotenoids, based on published literature. These findings highlight the continued relevance of local ethnobotanical knowledge and the potential of plant-based preservatives and colorants as locally adapted alternatives to synthetic additives and dyes, supporting further research into sustainable resource utilization and biodiversity conservation.

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