The Development of Plant-Based Jelly Candy for Chrysanthemum indicum L. Flower Extract and Evaluation of The Antioxidant Activity

Increasing awareness of wellness in society increased the demand for health supplements. Free radicals negatively impact vital organs resulting in the progression of neurodegenerative and cardiovascular disease. Herbal medicine such as (Chrysanthemum indicum L.) flowers has been reported to have strong antioxidant effects. However, the available products for Chrysanthemum is tea and capsules which is considered old-fashioned for many consumers. To improve consumer acceptance, Chrysanthemum can be formulated as jelly candy. However, applying heat during jelly candy production potentially reduced its antioxidant activities. This research is aimed to develop a C. Indicum L. jelly candy that can retain its antioxidant activity. C. Indicum L. flower extract is formulated into a jelly candy using plant-based gelling agents namely glucomannan and kappa carrageenan. Eight formulas were designed according to Design Expert software. Jelly candy’s physical characteristics such as organoleptic, weight uniformity, elasticity, and moisture content were assessed. An antioxidant assay using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging method was performed on C. Indicum L. flower extract before and after jelly candy formulation. The optimum formula identified from this study has a composition of kappa carrageenan 1.327 and glucomannan 0.673. Assessment of antioxidant activity suggested that the jelly candy can retain its antioxidant activity compared to crude extract. The optimum formula exhibited strong antioxidant activity with an IC50 value of 72.91±3.36 µg/mL. Through a minimal heating process, this study suggested that retaining antioxidant activity post-manufacturing process is feasible. © 2024 by Indonesian Journal of Pharmacy (IJP)