Utilization of a Pressure Cooker for Homemade High-Temperature Sterilization of Rendang

This study aimed to analyze the impact of pressure cooker (presto) sterilization on the nutritional value and microbial content of rendang, a traditional Indonesian meat dish. The evaluated parameters included moisture content, ash content, fat content, protein content, and total plate count (TPC), measured before and after a 40-minute sterilization process. The results showed a moderate increase in moisture (from 32.66-37.67%) and fat content (from 29.86-32.01%), with slight decreases in ash (from 3.47-3.30%) and protein content (from 35.01-33.05%). The TPC was significantly reduced from 1.1×10⁸-6.7×10⁴ CFU/g, indicating a 4-logreduction, which demonstrated the potential of pressure-cooking to lower microbial loads. Although the calculated F₀ value was only 0.17 that indicated well below the recommended threshold of 3 for commercial sterilization, no substantial degradation of nutritional quality was observed. Preliminary results indicated a possible presence of Clostridium botulinum in the sterilized samples; however, this finding required further verification through more specific microbial testing. These findings highlighted the practicality of pressure cooker sterilization as a low-cost and accessible method for small-scale or home-based food industries to improve product safety and extend shelf life. Nonetheless, further optimization, particularly in increasing sterilization duration and ensuring proper thermal processing, is necessary. Additional validation studies were recommended to confirm pathogen inactivation and to establish reliable safety standards for wider application.