<![CDATA[Berbagai upaya mendapatkan agar-agar yang baik telah dilakukan seperti modifikasi penanganan hingga modifikasi proses pengolahannya. Namun mutu bahan baku yang masih rendah, masih menjadi permasalahan. Beberapa studi terkait mutu yang berkaitan dengan penanganan, metode dan waktu pemanenan serta teknik penanaman telah banyak dilakukan. Namun identifikasi terhadap mutu agar-agar yang dihasilkan dari Rumput laut Gracilaria verrucosa hubungannya dengan lokasi hidupnya belum dilakukan, sehingga penelitian ini diharapkan memberikan informasi lokasi perairan yang terbaik diantara tiga lokasi (Serang, Brebes, dan Pasuruan) dilihat dari mutu agar-agar yang dihasilkan. Metode penelitian dilakukan dengan observasi dan ekperimental laboratorium. Agar-agar diolah sesuai dengan metode di PT. Java Biocolloid, yang meliputi seleksi bahan baku, perlakuan basa, perlakuan asam 1, pemucatan, perlakuan asam 2, ekstraksi, filtrasi, penjendalan, pengepresan, pengeringan dan penepungan. Pengujian karakteristik agar-agar dilakukan di laboratorium milik PT. Java Biocolloid, meliputi uji kadar air, kadar abu, viskositas, gelling point, dan pH. Data dianalisis dengan ANOVA dengan taraf signifikansi 95%, dan dilanjutkan dengan uji Tukey. Penelitan menunjukkan bahwa, agar-agar terbaik diperoleh dari Serang dengan viskositas 7,67 cP; gelling point 34,17oC; pH 7, 7; kadar air 20,15% dan kadar abu 4,35%. Nilai tersebut memenuhi standar PT. Java Biocolloid. Terdapat perbedaan yang nyata pada viskositas, gelling point, kadar air dan kadar abu pada ketiga lokasi, sedangkan pH tidak menunjukkan perbedaan yang nyata. Uji Tukey menunjukkan bahwa viskositas dan gelling point agar-agar dari Serang berbeda dengan viskositas dan gelling point agar-agar dari Brebes dan Pasuruan. Kadar air agar-agar dari Serang dan Brebes berbeda dengan agar-agar dari Pasuruan. Kadar abu berbeda pada ketiga lokasi.ABSTRACTSome techniques have been done to produced good quality of agars such as modifying handling and processing steps. In fact, quality of raw material was the main problem. Several studies on the quality of seaweed have been carried out. However, identification of the quality of agars produced from Gracilaria verrucosa in relation to the location has not been done. Thus, this research is expected to shown the best location (Serang, Brebes, and Pasuruan) in terms of the agars quality. Research was carried out by observation and laboratory experiments. Agars was produced based on PT. Java Biocolloid methode, include raw material selection, alkaline treatment, acid treatment, bleaching, extraction, filtration, densification, pressing, drying, and flouring. Physicochemical characteristics was tested at the PT. Java Biocolloid laboratory, include water content, ash content, viscosity, gelling point and acidity. Data were analyzed by one way ANOVA (95% of significance level), followed by Tukey. Result shown that the best quality of agars is from Serang which 7.67 cP of viscosity; 34.17oC of gelling point; 7.7 of pH; 20.15% of water content; and 4.35% of ash. These compositions meets the PT. Java Biocolloid requirements. Statistic analysis show the differencies on viscosity, gelling point, water content, ash of agars at three locations, while location did not have effect on pH. Furthermore, viscosity and gelling point of agars from Serang were different from Brebes and Pasuruan. While water content of agars at Serang and Brebes is different from agars at Pasuruan. Ash content was different at all locations.]]>
