Aplikasi Coating Kitosan dan Asam Sitrat untuk Meningkatkan Daya Simpan Bunga Marigold (Tagetes patula L.)

Abstract

Bunga marigold memiliki nilai komersial yang tinggi, sehingga budidaya bunga marigold mulai berkembang. Marigold termasuk edible flower yang umumnya dimakan dalam keadaan segar atau pangan olahan. Namun, edible flower marigold memiliki sifat mudah rusak dan mempunyai daya simpan yang pendek. Mikroorganisme dan respirasi yang tinggi adalah penyebab utama penurunan mutu bunga marigold selama penyimpanan. Coating dan perlakuan asam sitrat menjadi salah satu solusi untuk mempertahankan mutu dan meningkatkan daya simpan bunga marigold. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji pengaruh aplikasi coating berbahan kitosan dan perlakuan asam sitrat terhadap perubahan mutu bunga marigold selama masa simpan. Tahapan penelitian terdiri dari persiapan sampel, pembuatan larutan coating, pengaplikasian coating, dan pengamatan selama 6 hari masa simpan. Konsentrasi yang dipilih untuk membuat larutan coating yaitu asam sitrat (A) 1% dan 2%, serta kitosan (K) 0,05% dan 0,1%. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa perlakuan terbaik adalah coating A2K2 yang mampu mempertahankan kadar air pada 83,04%, susut bobot 21,05%, dan nilai °hue sebesar 79,70° pada hari ke 6 penyimpanan, dengan penerimaan panelis pada skor 3 (dari 0-5) berdasarkan kenampakan dan warna. Sementara pada akhir penyimpanan untuk bunga marigold tanpa perlakuan coating (kontrol), susut bobot mencapai 28,43%, dengan kadar air 78,86%, °hue 75,90º, dan memiliki skor dibawah penerimaan panelis

Marigold flowers have a high commercial value, so marigold cultivation began to develop. Marigold is an edible flower that is generally eaten fresh or processed food. However, marigold flowers are easily damaged and have a short shelf life. Microorganisms and high respiration are the main causes of decreased quality of marigold flowers during storage. Coating and citric acid treatment are one of the solutions to maintain the quality and increase the shelf life of marigold flowers. This research aims to study the impact of the application of coating made from chitosan and citric acid treatment on changes in the quality of marigold flowers during the shelf life. The research stages consisted of sample preparation, coating solution preparation, coating application, and observation for 6 days of shelf life. The concentrations chosen to make the coating solution were citric acid (A) at 1% and 2%, and chitosan (K) at 0,05% and 0,1%. The results showed that the best treatment was A2K2 coating which was able to maintain water content at 83,04%, weight loss at 21,05%, and the °hue value of 79,70° on the 6 days of storage. The panelist acceptance is at a score of 3 (from 0-5) based on appearance and color. Meanwhile, at the end of storage for marigold flowers without coating treatment (control), the weight loss reached 28,43%, with a moisture content of 78,86%, °hue 75,90º and had a score below the panelist acceptance.