Kajian Pengaruh Proses Perendaman dan Lama Penyimpanan Biji Pala (Myristica fragrans HOUTT) Terhadap Rendemen dan Kualitas Minyak Pala

Abstract

Nutmeg oil is one of export comodities that highly contribute to national income. Because of that, it is understandable that the industry competition level is high. Different products made from nutmeg require different postharvest processes. This study aims to determine the yield and quality of nutmeg oil, and also the loss of weights obtained during storage at several soaking treatment and storage period of seed nutmeg. The method of the post-harvest handling of nutmeg involves to three types of treatment, which are: (1) without soaking, (2) soaking in fresh water, and (3) soaking in salt salution. After that, nutmegs were given three types of treatment of storage period, which were 1 week, 2 weeks, and 3 weeks. The highest yield of nutmeg oil obtained from the treatment that was without soaking, with an average of 13 %, followed by treatment of soaking in fresh water an average 12.94 %, and then from the treatment of soaking in salt salution an average 11.05 %. Optimal storage period’s nutmeg seed was 1 week because the nutmeg did not loss their weight. Nutmeg oil produced in accordance with national standards of the average value of specific weight ranged from 0.89 to 0.92. The value of refractive index ranged from 1.47 to 1.48, while its value of optical rotation ranged from (+) 6.18o to (+) 25.62o, and the solubility in alcohol 90% was found 1.00 - 1.34.