Uji Perlakuan Minyak Kelapa Terhadap Perpanjangan Umur Simpan Jeruk Siam (Citrus reticulata Blanco.)

Abstract

Jeruk siam memiliki nilai ekonomi yang tinggi dan banyak diminati oleh berbagai kalangan sebagai sumber vitamin C. Namun, masa simpan yang singkat serta tingginya tingkat kerusakan pascapanen menurunkan kualitas buah selama distribusi dan penyimpanan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh pelapisan emulsi minyak kelapa terhadap umur simpan dan kualitas buah jeruk siam selama penyimpanan. Penelitian dilaksanakan di Laboratorium Pascapanen dan Biomassa, Departemen Agronomi dan Hortikultura, IPB University pada Januari hingga Februari 2025, menggunakan Rancangan Kelompok Lengkap Teracak (RKLT) faktor tunggal, yaitu konsentrasi emulsi minyak kelapa (0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, dan 8%) masing-masing dengan ulangan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa perlakuan emulsi minyak kelapa berpengaruh nyata terhadap nilai Citrus Color Index (CCI) dan mampu menekan produksi etilen. Sebaliknya, tidak berpengaruh terhadap kekerasan dan kualitas internal buah, serta belum mampu menekan laju respirasi secara konsisten, meskipun terdapat pengaruh nyata pada 14 HSP. Secara umum, perlakuan emulsi minyak kelapa 0% hingga 2% memberikan hasil terbaik dalam menekan laju respirasi dan produksi etilen. Konsentrasi 2% juga menunjukkan hasil paling efektif dalam mempertahankan warna kulit buah dibandingkan perlakuan lainnya.

Citrus reticulata Blanco have high economic value and are widely favored as a source of vitamin C. However, their short shelf life and high postharvest damage rate reduce fruit quality during distribution and storage. This research aimed to evaluate the effect of coconut oil emulsion coating on the shelf life and quality of siam oranges during storage. The experiment was conducted at the Postharvest and Biomass Laboratory, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, IPB University, from January to February 2025, using a RCBD (Randomized Complete Block Design) with a single factor: coconut oil emulsion concentration (0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8%), each with five replications. The results showed that coconut oil emulsion treatment significantly affected the Citrus Color Index (CCI) and effectively suppressed ethylene production. In contrast, it had no significant effect on fruit firmness or internal quality and did not consistently reduce the respiration rate, although a significant difference was observed on day 14 of storage. Overall, the 0% until 2% treatments produced the best results in reducing respiration rate and ethylene production. The 2% concentration was also the most effective in maintaining skin color compared to other treatments.