INVESTIGATING THE MODULATORY ROLE OF COMMONLY USED FOOD SEASONING (KNORR CHICKEN CUBE) ON SURVIVAL RATE AND SELECTED ANTIOXIDANTS IN DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER

The growing consumption of processed seasoning, particularly Knorr, has raised scientific concern regarding their potential physiological effects, owing to the inclusion of additives such as monosodium glutamate (MSG), high salt content and synthetic flavor enhancers. This study investigated the effects of Knorr seasoning on Drosophila melanogaster across different concentrations. The flies were allocated into five groups: Group A (control), Group B (0.3 g), Group C (0.15 g), Group D (0.1 g), and Group E (0.05 g). Survival analysis revealed that Knorr seasoning significantly influenced lifespan (p = 0.006). Flies exposed to the highest concentration (0.3 g) exhibited the lowest survival rate by Day 21 (8.3%), whereas those treated with the lowest concentration (0.05 g) maintained a relatively higher survival rate (20.0%) compared to the control group (22.9%). A second setup was made and the flies was divided into five groups with varying concentrations to assess antioxidant enzyme activity. Catalase (CAT) activity showed no significant differences among groups (p = 0.624), while superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity varied significantly (p = 0.012). Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity did not differ significantly across treatment groups (p = 0.984). Overall, the findings demonstrated that Knorr chicken seasoning reduced the survival of Drosophila melanogaster in a concentration-dependent manner, with the greatest reduction observed at 0.3 g. Antioxidant enzyme assays indicated that Knorr seasoning selectively modulated SOD activity, suggesting heightened oxidative stress responses at higher concentrations and reduced activity at intermediate levels, whereas CAT and GPx activities remained largely unaffected. These results emphasize the critical role of dosage in determining whether Knorr seasoning exerts detrimental or potentially adaptive biological effects. Further investigations are warranted to validate these findings and explore the long term health implications of seasoning cube consumption.