<![CDATA[Ndusuk leaves (Melastoma malabathricum L.) are traditionally used by the Manggarai community to reduce the fatty appearance of pork dishes, yet the molecular basis of this practice has not been investigated using a GC-MS-based metabolomic approach. This study compared the metabolite profiles of Ndusuk leaf decoctions prepared without and with pork. Dried leaves (35 g) were decocted in 2.5 L of water at 100°C for 30 min under two treatments: leaves only (control) and leaves with 100 g pork (sample), each performed in triplicate (n = 3). Metabolites were analyzed by GC-MS and tentatively identified using the NIST library (similarity index ≥80%). The control contained 118 tentatively identified metabolites, whereas the pork-treated extract contained 126. Boiling with pork increased cis-vaccenic acid (+4.07%) and palmitic acid (+1.92%), while decreasing melezitose (−2.80%) and glycerol (−0.73%). These findings demonstrate that cooking with pork alters the metabolite profile of Ndusuk leaf decoctions without providing evidence of direct fat reduction. The observed metabolite shifts may suggest possible phenolic–lipid interactions, antioxidant-related processes, and Maillard reaction-associated changes; however, these mechanisms require confirmation using targeted metabolomics and authentic standards. This study provides the first metabolomic evidence supporting the traditional culinary use of Ndusuk leaves and establishes a scientific basis for Manggarai pork-cooking practices.]]>
