Simulasi Transportasi dengan Pengemasan Curah (Bulk Packaging) untuk Cabai Merah Keriting Segar

Abstract

Red chili is one of agricultural commodity which is needed by people and has high economic value. Because it’s not long-lasting product and always needed in fresh product, the appropriate packaging method and good transportation become a postharvest critical point for maintain the freshness of product in the time of distribution until on the costumer hand. The objective of this research was to do the transport simulation with bulk packaging for fresh curly red chili and to observe the effect of simulation and packaging to weight losses, mechanical losses, scattered losses, hardness, color and water content. Packaging method was performed in 2 kind of package which are cardboard box and plastic crate. Transport simulation was performed with 2 treatments which are 2.9 Hz frequency and 3.2 cm amplitude during 228 minutes and 3.9 Hz frequency and 4.2 cm amplitude during 173 minutes. This research compared the ability of the packages (plastic crate and carton box) to maintain the quality of curly red chili which is viewed in some aspects i.e. weight losses, mechanical loses, scattered losses, hardness, color and water content.