13 Kusharto et al. 2008 stated that the green leaves of grass jelly has the highest chlorophyll
content 1709 ppm, compared to the three other leaves, mulberry respectively 844 ppm, katuk 1509 ppm, and gotu kola 832 ppm. Hendriyani 2003 revealed that in the powdered green grass leaves,
there are total chlorophyll of 3950 ppm or 3.95 mgg consisting of 3.45 mgg of chlorophyll a and 0.50 mgg of chlorophyll b. The amount of chlorophyll antioxidant activity using DPPH method reported by
Kristopo et al. 2006 referred in Prangdimurti 2007, using chlorophyll green membranes isolated from mung bean sprouts. It was reported that at concentrations of 5x10
5
M, antioxidant activity of chlorophyll a is 10.857 + 0.277 and chlorophyll b is 8.937 + 0.454.
G. DIETARY FIBER
Dietary fiber is a group of polysaccharides and lignin contained in the food that can not be hydrolyzed by human digestive enzymes Trowell et al. 1976. Based on its origin, dietary fiber can be
divided into two types, i.e. dietary fiber derived from carbohydrates, such as cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin, and gum, and dietary fiber derived from noncarbohydrate, such as phenolic compounds
lignin Gallaher 1996. Based on the solubility, dietary fiber can be divided into two types, namely watersoluble dietary fiber Soluble Dietary Fiber, SDF, such as pectin, hemicellulose portion, and
gum, and water insoluble dietary fiber Insoluble Dietary Fiber, IDF, such as lignin, cellulose, and some hemicelluloses Muchtadi et al. 2006. In addition, dietary fiber also contain sugar, such as
glucose, galactose, xylose, mannose, arabinose, rhamnose, and fructose, and also acidic sugars, such as manuronic, galacturonic, glucuronide, guluronic, and 4Ometil glucuronic acid.
Dietary fiber plays a role in prevention of various diseases. SDF can prevent coronary heart disease and diabetes, while the IDF can prevent constipation, diverticulosis, hemorrhoids, appendicitis,
stomach pain, colon cancer, and obesity Muchtadi et al. 2006. Dietary fiber also affects the bioavailability of fat soluble vitamins. This is presumably because there is influence of dietary fiber on
bile acids bile salts, where the acid plays an important role in the digestion and absorption of fats, including fatty acids Leville 1977.
Dietary fiber can not be digested by humans, which is concluded that dietary fiber does not contain nutritional value Desminarti 2001. But the colon microflora can ferment dietary fiber and
form shortchain fatty acids which can then be absorbed by the intestine to be used by the body as an energy source Dreher 1987. Dietary fiber has high water absorption, because the polymer size,
complex structure, and contains many hydroxyl groups. It depends on the type of its polysaccharide. William 1985 stated that dietary fiber has binding properties of organic materials, such as
bile acids, and then wasted with feces. With the presence of dietary fiber that binds bile acids, the amount of free bile acids is reduced so it needs a new bile acid formed. This new bile acid formed from
cholesterol present in the blood. Thus, the concentration of cholesterol in the blood decreases. According to Shinnik et al. 1990, soluble fiber such as pectin and gum can lower plasma cholesterol
levels significantly. Green grass jelly Premna oblongifolia Merr. composed of low methoxyl pectin which also classified into water soluble dietary fiber SDF. Pectin of green grass jelly consists of D
galacturonic acid with side chains in the form of galactose.
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H. THERMAL PROCESS
