Vol. 2 No. 1 (2026): Preserving Freshness: A Dive into Types and Level of Jujube Fruit Preservatives in Samarahan, Sarawak

Introduction: Jujube, also known as Chinese date, is a small, sweet fruit that grows on the Ziziphus jujuba tree.
It’s native to southern Asia but has been cultivated in many other regions around the world. The fruit is typically
round or oval and can vary in size from a cherry to a plum. Jujubes can be eaten fresh, dried, or preserved
and are often used in cooking, baking, and traditional medicine. They’re rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants,
making them a nutritious snack option. Various food preservatives, including sulfur dioxide, are applied
to jujubes before they are exported from their country of origin. Overdosing or overconsuming sulfur dioxide
may cause severe adverse health effects, including cardiovascular and respiratory problems. Thus, this project
is aimed to determine the type as well as level of preservative used in jujube that sold at Samarahan district,
Sarawak.