Electronic Theses and Dissertation

Cabai rawit merupakan komoditas hortikultura bernilai ekonomi tinggi, namun rentan kerusakan pascapanen akibat tingginya laju respirasi, transpirasi, dan aktivitas mikroorganisme, yang menyebabkan penurunan mutu seperti kehilangan kesegaran, penurunan tingkat kekerasan, dan kandungan gizinya. Penelitian ini bertujuan mengetahui pengaruh suhu penyimpanan, lama perendaman ozon dan lama penyimpanan terhadap mutu cabai rawit (Capsicum frutescens L.).
Penelitian ini menggunakan metode Rancangan Acak Lengkap Faktorial (RALF) dengan dua faktor yaitu lama perendaman ozon (0 menit, 10 menit, 20 menit, dan 30 menit) dan suhu penyimpanan (suhu ruang 27°C dan suhu dingin 10°C). Parameter yang diamati meliputi jumlah bakteri, susut bobot, vitamin C, kekerasan, warna, dan uji organoleptik (warna, tekstur, kesegaran). Data hasil penelitian dianalisis menggunakan analysis of variance (ANOVA), apabila terdapat pengaruh signifikan akan dilanjutkan dengan uji Duncan pada taraf kepercayaan 5%.
Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa perlakuan lama perendaman pada cabai rawit menggunakan sistem ozonisasi memberikan pengaruh nyata terhadap jumlah bakteri dan kekerasan pada hari ke-15 penyimpanan. Suhu penyimpanan berpengaruh nyata terhadap jumlah bakteri, susut bobot, kadar vitamin C, kekerasan dan warna. Penyimpanan suhu dingin lebih efektif mempertahankan kualitas cabai rawit dengan memperlambat respirasi, transpirasi, dan aktivitas mikroorganisme. Interaksi antara lama perendaman ozon dan suhu penyimpanan memberikan pengaruh nyata terhadap jumlah bakteri. Berdasarkan hasil uji organoleptik organoleptik, perlakuan ozonisasi dengan durasi tertentu yang dikombinasikan dengan penyimpanan suhu dingin mampu mempertahankan mutu tomat mawar hijau dari segi warna, tekstur dan kesegaran hingga mencapai batas penerimaan panelis. Secara keseluruhan, hasil penelitian ini mengindikasikan bahwa penerapan teknologi ozonisasi dan penyimpanan suhu dingin berpotensi digunakan sebagai alternatif penanganan pascapanen untuk menekan pertumbuhan mikroorganisme dan memperlambat penurunan mutu cabai rawit.

Bird's eye chili is a high-value horticultural commodity; however, it is susceptible to postharvest deterioration due to high rates of respiration, transpiration, and microbial activity, leading to quality loss—such as reduced freshness, firmness, and nutritional content. This study aimed to determine the effects of storage temperature, ozone immersion duration, and storage time on the quality of bird's eye chili (*Capsicum frutescens* L.). The study employed a Factorial Completely Randomized Design (FCRD) with two factors: ozone immersion duration (0, 10, 20, and 30 minutes) and storage temperature (room temperature at 27°C and cold storage at 10°C). Observed parameters included bacterial count, weight loss, vitamin C content, firmness, color, and organoleptic properties (color, texture, and freshness). Data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA); significant effects were further analyzed using Duncan's test at a 5% confidence level. The results showed that the ozone immersion treatment significantly affected bacterial count and firmness after 15 days of storage. Storage temperature significantly influenced bacterial count, weight loss, vitamin C content, firmness, and color. Cold storage was more effective at maintaining chili quality by slowing down respiration, transpiration, and microbial activity. The interaction between ozone immersion duration and storage temperature had a significant effect on bacterial count. Organoleptic test results indicated that specific ozone immersion durations combined with cold storage could maintain the quality of the chilies—in terms of color, texture, and freshness—within acceptable limits for panelists. Overall, the findings suggest that the application of ozonization technology and cold storage holds potential as an alternative postharvest handling method to inhibit microbial growth and delay quality deterioration in bird's eye chili.