Pemanfaatan Pelepah Salak untuk Kemasan Transportasi Buah Salak (Salacca edulis)

Abstract

The objective of this research is to design snakefruit package for transportation purpose. Package was made from dried snakefruit tree rods and designed in three capacities; they were 10, 15, and 20 kilograms (kgs). Design used face centered cubic (fcc) fruit pattern package which developed by Peleg (1985). Fcc is a fruit pattern package that based on fruit counts. Package was also tested with transportation simulation for 3 (three) hours that equals to 500 kilometers of transportation ride. Results shown increasing of package capacity percentage of physical damage and percentage of bruise spot area followed increasing of package capacity. Firmness and TSS were not always influenced by package capacities but depended on snakefruit wall cell condition that influenced by fungi infection which decayed snakefruit. Optimal capacity was reached in 15 kgs capacity because snakefruit physical damage in 15 kgs was lower than 20 kgs but 15 kgs was not significantly different with 10 kgs. Maximum package strength was about 438 kg and also reached in 15 kgs capacity. The package strength passed snakefruit bioyield value which was been snakefruit package designing requirement. Snakefruit bioyield value was 34.186 kgs. Economically, use of 15 kgs capacity was more benefit than other capacities on snakefruit sale.