<![CDATA[Background: Traditional food products require wrapping materials that maintain quality and may reduce microbial contamination. Sapat leaves (Macaranga tanarius) are traditionally used as natural wrappers and contain antibacterial secondary metabolites. This study evaluated the antibacterial activity of 96% ethanolic extract of M. tanarius leaves against Escherichia coli and the organoleptic acceptability of fresh leaves as wrappers for lepat binti. Methodology: Extract concentrations of 5%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% w/v (50–1000 mg/mL) were tested by disc diffusion using chloramphenicol and DMSO as positive and negative controls, with three replicates. Findings: Fresh M. tanarius leaves were compared with Musa paradisiaca L. leaves in a preliminary organoleptic test. Inhibition zones increased from 5.22±1.19 mm at 5% to 15.57±0.95 mm at 100%; the positive and negative controls produced 22.70±1.52 mm and 0.00±0.00 mm, respectively. Differences among concentrations were significant (Kruskal–Wallis, H= 13.06; p= 0.011), with a strong positive correlation between concentration and inhibition zone (Spearman, ρ = 0.961; p < 0.001). Phytochemical screening detected flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, saponins, phenols, and steroids. Organoleptic acceptance for taste, color, aroma, and texture was 65.71%, 76.19%, 79.05%, and 67.62%, respectively, and remained acceptable for up to five days. Contributions: This study provides empirical evidence that M. tanarius leaves shows potential as a natural food wrapper with antibacterial activity against E. coli and acceptable organoleptic properties. Although further studies are needed to confirm whether extract activity reflects the effectiveness of fresh leaves during storage]]>
