Karakteristik Sirup Nira Aren pada Beberapa Konsentrasi Total Padatan Terlarut [Characteristics of Palm Sugar Syrup on Total Soluble Solid Concentrations] - Barlina Rindengan, MS; Patrik Pasang; Adhitya Yudha Pradhana (Pusat Penelitian dan Pengembangan Perkebunan, 2020)
Aren is a plant source of raw material for sugar that has been carried out from generation to generation. All parts can be used, both as a source of food and non-food. However, the main product that has been concerned is still focused on sap, as a raw material for sugar. To increase the variety of products from sap, it can be processed into syrup so that its use is more varied. Therefore, in 2018 the sap of palm sugar for palm juice processing has been carried out into syrup. The tapping of palm sap is carried out in farmer’s gardens in Tinoor village, Tomohon Municipality, North Sulawesi Province. Syrup processing is carried out at the Indonesian Palm Crops Research Institute Laboratory, and part of the analysis is carried out at the Engineering, Chemical and Biochemical Laboratory of the Agricultural Product Technology Department, UGM-Yogyakarta. The results showed that palm sugar syrup that has been carried out in the level of total soluble solids, namely 65. Brix, has the following characteristics, water content ranges from 24.16% - 31.73%, viscosity 140cP-2,336cP, total content 62.77%-68.14%, saccharose 57.55%-62.22%, reducing sugar 1.29% -4.11%, phenolic content (antioxidants) 0.13% - 0.29%. Processing of palm sugar syrup without additional sugar, so that the saccharose contained is natural only from palm sap and with the presence of phenolic compounds, palm sap syrup can be categorized as syrup functional so it is very beneficial for health. Sugar palm syrup which has a commercial syrup viscosity of total soluble solids 70. Brix which has a viscosity of 399.80cP, an water content of 29.49%, saccharose 58.00%, total sugar 63.15%, reducing sugar 2.05, phenolic content 0.14%, color intensity L*= lightness 43.83, a*= reddish 15.55 and b*= yellowish 34.40.ABSTRAKAren adalah salah satu tanaman sumber bahan baku gula yang telah dilakukan secara turun temurun. Semua bagian dapat dimanfaatkan, baik sebagai sumber pangan maupun non pangan, tetapi sampai saat ini, produk utama yang diperhatikan masih terfokus pada nira, sebagai bahan baku gula cetak maupun gula semut. Untuk menambah ragam produk dari nira aren, dapat diolah menjadi sirup sehingga pemanfaatannya lebih bervariasi. Oleh karena itu, pada tahun 2018 telah dilakukan pengolahan nira aren menjadi sirup. Penyadapan nira aren, dilakukan di kebun petani di desa Tinoor Kotamadya Tomohon, Propinsi Sulawesi Utara. Pengolahan sirup dilakukan di Laboratorium Balai Penelitian Tanaman Palma, dan sebagian analisa karakteristik dilaksanakan di Laboratorium Rekayasa, Kimia dan Biokimia Jurusan Teknologi Hasil Pertanian, UGM-Yogyakarta. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa sirup nira aren yang telah dilakukan dalam empat tingkatan total padatan terlarut, yaitu 650Brix, 700Brix, 750Brix dan 800Brix, memiliki karakteristik sebagai berikut kadar air berkisar 24,16%-31,73%, viskositas 140cP-2336cP, kadar total 62,77%-68,14%, sakarosa 57,55%-62,22%, gula reduksi 1,29%-4,11%, kadar fenolat (antioksidan) 0,13%-0,29%. Pengolahan sirup nira aren ini tidak dilakukan penambahan gula pasir, sehingga sakarosa yang terkandung adalah alami hanya dari nira aren dan dengan adanya senyawa fenolat, maka sirup nira aren dapat dikategorikan sebagai sirup nira aren fungsional sehingga sangat bermanfaat untuk kesehatan. Sirup nira aren yang memiliki viskositas mendekati sirup komersial adalah pada TPT 700Brix yang memiliki viskositas 399,80cP, kadar air 29,49%, sakarosa 58,00%, gula total 63,15%, gula reduksi 2,05, fenolat 0,14%, intensitas warna L*=tingkat kecerahan 43,83, a*=kemerahan 15,55 dan b*= kekuningan 34,40.