Pemahaman Konsep Gizi Dan Uji Kandungan Bakteri Escherichia Coli Pada Feces Balita Di Desa Sidanegara Cilacap

Abstrak

Nutritional problems in toddlers are closely related to environmental sanitation conditions, particularly the presence of Escherichia coli bacteria as an indicator of fecal contamination that can cause gastrointestinal infections and inhibit nutrient absorption. This community service activity aimed to increase public understanding of nutrition concepts and the impact of E. coli on toddler health through educational and participatory approaches. The methods included fecal laboratory tests using the Most Probable Number (MPN) method, presentations on nutrition and sanitation, dissemination of test results through direct demonstrations, and training in making instant puree from local ingredients. The results showed an increase in community knowledge about the dangers of bacterial contamination to toddler nutrition. Some fecal samples tested showed metallic green colonies on EMBA media, indicating the presence of E. coli. These findings emphasize the importance of environmental and food hygiene as a preventive measure against digestive infections. The puree-making training received positive feedback and provided a practical solution for improving toddler nutrition. This activity demonstrates that education-based and community-participatory interventions can have a positive impact on increasing awareness of environmental health and toddler nutrition.