Penggunaan Kitosan dan Lilin Lebah sebagai Bahan Pelapis untuk Meningkatkan Masa Simpan dan Mempertahankan Kualitas Buah Pepaya

Abstract

Papaya is a climacteric fruit with increased respiration rate during ripening process. Respiration rate papaya can be inhibited by providing a coating on the surface of the fruit. Coating materials that can be used include chitosan and beeswax. The purpose of this research is to study the effect of chitosan and beeswax coating on the shelf life and quality of Callina papaya fruit during storage. Experiment was carried from November 2014 until March 2015 at the Experimental Field of PKHT, Tajur and Postharvest Laboratory, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Bogor Agricultural University. The experimental design used was completely randomized design with 3 treatments and 3 replications, there are chitosan 0.75%, beeswax 6%, and the control (without coating). Data were analyzed by F test and treatments that affect were analyzed by Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT). Parameters measured were shelf life, the index of fruit skin color scale, respiration rate, weight loss, skin firmness, pulp firmness, total soluble solids, total titratable acids, and the content of vitamin C. Results of the experiments showed that chitosan and beeswax treatments can extend the shelf life of papaya Callina 4–5 days compared to control because it inhibits respiration rate papaya during storage. The use of chitosan and beeswax can maintain the physical and chemical quality of papaya fruit Callina.