Analisis Kandungan Rhodamin B Pada Saus Tomat Yang Beredar Di Sekolah Dasar Kecamatan Medan Amplas

Abstract

Tomato sauce is one of the food condiments commonly consumed by elementary school students in Indonesia. Its distinctive taste makes tomato sauce a popular accompaniment to various foods and snacks. In addition to its characteristic flavor, tomato sauce generally has an attractive red color that may increase its appeal to consumers. However, there is a potential risk of misuse of non-food synthetic dyes, such as Rhodamine B, which is toxic and prohibited for use in food products. This study aimed to qualitatively detect the presence of Rhodamine B in tomato sauce products sold by food vendors around elementary schools in Medan Amplas District. An experimental laboratory study was conducted on 30 tomato sauce samples collected from 10 elementary schools in Medan Amplas District. Sample preparation was performed using an adsorption method with fat-free wool threads under acidic conditions, followed by elution using a mixture of ammonia and ethanol. Rhodamine B was qualitatively identified using Thin-Layer Chromatography (TLC). Observation under UV light at 366 nm showed that none of the samples exhibited orange or neon-red fluorescence, and all samples had a Retardation Factor (Rf) value of 0.000. Based on the identification results, all analyzed tomato sauce samples were negative for Rhodamine B. Therefore, no indication of the use of the non-food synthetic dye Rhodamine B was found in tomato sauce products sold around elementary schools in Medan Amplas District, indicating that all tested samples complied with food safety requirements regarding the use of food colorants.