Pelilinan untuk Peningkatan Kualitas Cabai Rawit Varietas Lokal Garut dan Ori 212 pada Penyimpanan Suhu Rendah

Wax Application for Quality Improvement of of Cayenne Pepper Varieties Lokal Garut and Ori 212 at Low-Temperature Storage

Abstract

Cayenne pepper has a short shelf life after harvest. Postharvest handling is needed to extend the shelf life and maintain the quality of chili pepper, coating fruit with safe materials for consumption. The coating materials used such as bees wax, carnauba wax, and chitosan. This study aimed to determine the concentration of each different coating material that is effective to extend the shelf life and maintain fruit quality with low-temperature storage. The study used a single factor Randomized Block Design, namely the concentration of coating material. The parameters observed were destructive and non-destructive. Destructive parameters included moisture content and non-destructive parameters included fruit weight loss, visual quality of fruit, the appearance of disease symptoms, fruit rot, and dryness. The results showed that coatings in combination with low-temperature storage could reduce weight loss, maintain visual quality, and inhibit the appearance of disease symptoms. Local Garut variety of cayenne pepper coated with 0.5% beeswax, 0.5% carnauba wax, and 1.5% chitosan, as well as ori 212 cayenne pepper with 0.5% beeswax, 1.5% carnauba wax, and chitosan 2% with low-temperature storage was able to maintain fruit quality for 30 days. 

Keywords: cayenne pepper, edible coating, storage, postharvest