Pengaruh Perendaman Air Hangat terhadap Kualitas dan Umur Simpan Buah Jeruk Siam (Citrus Nobilis Lour var. Microcarpa)

Abstract

Jeruk siam (Citrus nobilis Lour var. Microcarpa) menjadi salah satu komoditas favorit di Indonesia, namun rentan mengalami penurunan kualitas selama penyimpanan akibat beberapa faktor seperti kehilangan air, serangan mikroorganisme, dan perubahan biokimia. Penelitian ini bertujuan menganalisis pengaruh suhu dan durasi perendaman air hangat (Hot Water Treatment) dalam mempertahankan kualitas fisiko-kimia dan memperpanjang umur simpan buah jeruk siam. Rancangan penelitian yang digunakan adalah Rancangan Acak Lengkap (RAL) faktorial dengan dua faktor, yaitu suhu perendaman 45°C, 50°C, dan 60°C dan durasi perendaman 1 dan 5 menit. Buah jeruk yang telah diberi perlakuan kemudian disimpan pada suhu 5±2°C, dan selanjutnya dilakukan pengamatan parameter meliputi susut bobot, kekerasan buah, tingkat kerusakan, laju respirasi, Total Padatan Terlarut (TPT), dan nilai pH dengan interval pengamatan 3 hari selama 24 hari. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa perendaman pada suhu 50°C selama 1 menit memberikan hasil paling optimal. Perlakuan ini berhasil mengurangi susut bobot hingga 6,28% pada hari ke-24, mempertahankan kekerasan buah pada 42,54 N hingga hari ke-9, serta menunda munculnya kerusakan hingga hari ke-36. Selain itu, parameter TPT dan pH tetap stabil dengan nilai masing–masing 9,17°Brix dan 3,41. Sebaliknya, perlakuan suhu 60°C dengan durasi 5 menit justru mempercepat kerusakan akibat efek termal yang merusak jaringan buah. Simpulan penelitian mengungkapkan bahwa perendaman air hangat pada suhu 50°C selama 1 menit mampu memperpanjang umur simpan jeruk siam hingga 36 hari, lebih lama dibandingkan kontrol tanpa perlakuan yang hanya bertahan 27 hari.

Siamese oranges (Citrus nobilis Lour var. Microcarpa) are one of the favorite commodities in Indonesia, but are susceptible to quality loss during storage due to several factors such as water loss, microorganism attack, and biochemical changes. This study aims to analyze the effect of temperature and duration of hot water immersion (hot water treatment) in maintaining the physico-chemical quality and extending the shelf life of siamese orange fruit. The research design used was a factorial Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with two factors, namely soaking temperatures of 45°C, 50°C, and 60°C and soaking durations of 1 and 5 minutes. The treated citrus fruits were then stored at 5±2°C, and then parameters including weight loss, fruit hardness, damage level, respiration rate, Total Dissolved Solids (TPT), and pH value were observed with a 3-day observation interval for 24 days. The results showed that soaking at 50°C for 1 minute gave the most optimal results. This treatment succeeded in reducing weight loss to 6.28% on day 24, maintaining fruit hardness at 42.54 N until day 9, and delaying the appearance of damage until day 36. In addition, TPT and pH parameters remained stable with values of 9.17°Brix and 3.41, respectively. In contrast, the 60°C temperature treatment with a duration of 5 minutes actually accelerated the damage due to thermal effects that damaged the fruit tissue. The conclusion of the study revealed that warm water immersion at 50°C for 1 minute can extend the shelf life of siam oranges up to 36 days, longer than the untreated control which only lasted 27 days.