Contamination that decreased chicken meat quality could be prevented using
natural preservatives. Bay leaves (Syzygium polyanthum) contain volatile fatty acids,
tannin, and flavonoid that possess bacteriological and fungicidal activity as well as
preventing bacterial spore growth. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect
of fresh bay leaf infusion on microbiological, chemical, and physical qualities of
chicken meat. This study used bay leaves, water, chicken meat, eight strain of bacteria,
chemicals and materials for the analysis of chicken meat. The experiment consisted of
two steps, the first was the antibacterial properties of bay leaves and the second was the
application of bay leaf infusion for chicken meat. Eight bacteria was used for the
bacterial inhibition of bay leaf at the concentration of 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20%. The
experiment on antibacterial properties of bay leaf (Syzygium polyanthum) used one way
randomized design with five concentration treatments, while the application of bay leaf
infusions on chicken meat using factorial completely randomized design 2x5 (2 types of
soaking and 5 observation time). At the second step, chicken meat was divided into 2
groups, the first group was soaked in water only and the second group was soaked in
15% bay leaf infusion. They were then stored for 0 (control), 2, 4, 6, and 8 hours at the
room temperature. Each treatment was repeated four times. The microbiological,
chemical, physical qualities of chicken meat were observed. The results showed that bay
leaf infusion had the ability to inhibit the growth of bacteria (P