EFFECTS OF EDIBLE COATING BASED ON ALOE VERA GEL ON ORGANOLEPTIC QUALITIES AND SHELF LIFE OF STRAWBERRIES (Fragaria x ananassa cv. California)

• Main Author: Liduan, Eric
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/43328
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

, such as cold storage, packaging, and coating with protective substance. Coating the fruits with edible substance may help prolong the quality of fruits and vegetables because the protective membrane created by said coating will partially close the pore, preventing infections and lowering the rate of respirations. The contents of edible coating can be added with antimicrobial substance to prevent products from spoiling. The main component for this edible coating is Aloe vera gel. Aloe vera contains antimicrobial substance, which is visible to be utilized as protective film on products, while the viscosity of the gel maintains the membrane on the fruit. The gel that covers the fruit are capable of lowering the rate of respiration because the pore on the fruit’s surface are slightly covered. Concentrations of Aloe vera gel that is used for this experiment consists of 5 sample, such as control (without coating), 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%, with the help of pure water to dilute the concentration of the gel. The freshness quality of the fruits are measured through the changes on the fruit’s mass, respiration rate, pH fluctuations, total soluble solids, and the number of microbes. Measuring pH and total soluble solids shows that the range of fluctuation on each measurements. Organoleptic tests are done by taste and the texture of the strawberries, which is connected to the fruit’s freshness and microbial contaminations. Changes on mass are measured to consider how high the rate of the decrease in quality of the fruit, which indirectly affects the respiration rate of the fruit. The microbes that are counted consists of aerobic mesophilic bacteria, fungi, and the existence of Salmonella sp. and E. coli