<![CDATA[Cabai merah besar (Capsicum annuum L.) merupakan komoditas hortikultura bernilai ekonomi yang mudah mengalami penurunan mutu setelah panen akibat kehilangan air, perubahan tekstur dan warna, serta proses fisiologis selama penyimpanan. Penelitian ini bertujuan mengkaji efektivitas edible coating berbahan kitosan cangkang udang dan suhu penyimpanan dalam memperpanjang umur simpan serta mempertahankan mutu cabai merah besar. Penelitian menggunakan Rancangan Acak Lengkap (RAL) faktorial dengan dua faktor dan tiga ulangan. Faktor pertama adalah konsentrasi edible coating kitosan cangkang udang, yaitu 0%, 1%, 2%, dan 3%, sedangkan faktor kedua adalah suhu penyimpanan 5°C, 10°C, dan 27°C. Parameter yang diamati meliputi umur simpan, susut bobot, tekstur, warna, dan kadar vitamin C. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa konsentrasi edible coating dan suhu penyimpanan berpengaruh sangat nyata terhadap umur simpan cabai merah besar. Konsentrasi 2% dan 3% mampu mempertahankan umur simpan rata-rata sekitar 29 hari, sedangkan suhu 10°C menghasilkan umur simpan 28,25 hari dengan susut bobot terendah sebesar 0,37%. Interaksi kedua perlakuan berpengaruh sangat nyata terhadap kadar vitamin C, dengan kombinasi kitosan 3% pada suhu 27°C menghasilkan kadar vitamin C tertinggi sebesar 0,247%. Dengan demikian, penggunaan edible coating kitosan 2–3% dan penyimpanan pada suhu 10°C berpotensi mempertahankan mutu dan memperpanjang umur simpan cabai merah besar. Abstract ____________________________________________________________ Large red chili (*Capsicum annuum* L.) is a high-value horticultural commodity prone to post-harvest quality deterioration due to water loss, changes in texture and color, and physiological processes during storage. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an edible coating based on shrimp-shell chitosan and storage temperature in extending the shelf life and maintaining the quality of large red chilies. A factorial Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with two factors and three replications was employed. The first factor was the concentration of the shrimp-shell chitosan edible coating (0%, 1%, 2%, and 3%), while the second factor was the storage temperature (5°C, 10°C, and 27°C). Observed parameters included shelf life, weight loss, texture, color, and vitamin C content. The results indicated that both edible coating concentration and storage temperature had a highly significant effect on the shelf life of large red chilies. Concentrations of 2% and 3% maintained an average shelf life of approximately 29 days, whereas a storage temperature of 10°C resulted in a shelf life of 28.25 days with the lowest weight loss (0.37%). The interaction between the two treatments significantly affected vitamin C content, with the combination of 3% chitosan at 27°C yielding the highest vitamin C level at 0.247%. Thus, the use of a 2–3% chitosan edible coating and storage at 10°C shows potential for maintaining quality and extending the shelf life of large red chilies. ]]>
