Strategy for Maintaining the Quality of Fresh-Cut Melon During Cold Storage Through Corn Starch-Gelatin Edible Coating Enriched with Citric Acid: Strategi untuk Mempertahankan Kualitas Melon Potong Cucumis melo L. selama Penyimpanan Dingin melalui Edible Coating Pati Jagung-Gelatin yang Diperkaya Asam Sitrat - Hong, Jennifer; Fanniya D. Rahmadania; A. Putri, Aysah; Sofiatin; Rosmiati, Mia (Department of Food Science and Biotechnology, Faculty of Agroindustrial and Biosystem Technology, Universitas Brawijaya, 2026)
Abstract Fresh-cut melon (Cucumis melo L.) is a popular minimally processed product widely consumed in Indonesia; however, peeling and cutting operations accelerate physiological deterioration, microbial spoilage, and quality loss, thereby shortening its shelf life. The application of edible coatings has emerged as a sustainable strategy to maintain the quality of fresh-cut fruits during cold storage. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of citric acid concentration on the physicochemical properties of corn starch-gelatin-based edible coating solutions and to assess their efficacy in maintaining the quality of fresh-cut melon stored at 10 °C for 12 days. A completely randomized design (CRD) with a single factor was employed, consisting of five citric acid concentrations (0%, 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, and 2%, w/v). The citric acid-enriched coating solutions were characterized based on visual appearance, pH, and functional group analysis using FTIR, while the quality of fresh-cut melon was evaluated through weight loss, moisture content, firmness, browning index (BI), total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), and sensory attributes. The results revealed that the incorporation of 0.5% citric acid significantly reduced the pH of the coating solution and effectively suppressed weight loss to 9.40 ± 2.06%, while maintaining a titratable acidity of 1.18 ± 0.20% and a browning index of 2.16 ± 0.55 after 12 days of storage. These findings demonstrate that citric acid-enriched corn starch-gelatin edible coating, particularly at 0.5% concentration, is a promising eco-friendly approach for maintaining the quality of fresh-cut melon during cold storage. Abstrak Melon potong (Cucumis melo L.) merupakan produk olahan minimal yang populer dan banyak dikonsumsi di Indonesia; namun, proses pengupasan dan pemotongan dapat mempercepat kerusakan fisiologis, pertumbuhan mikroba, dan penurunan kualitas, sehingga memperpendek masa simpannya. Aplikasi edible coating telah menjadi salah satu strategi berkelanjutan untuk mempertahankan kualitas buah potong selama penyimpanan dingin. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengevaluasi pengaruh konsentrasi asam sitrat terhadap karakteristik fisikokimia larutan edible coating berbahan dasar pati jagung-gelatin serta efektivitasnya dalam mempertahankan kualitas melon potong yang disimpan pada suhu 10 °C selama 12 hari. Penelitian dilakukan menggunakan Rancangan Acak Lengkap (RAL) satu faktor dengan lima taraf konsentrasi asam sitrat (0%, 0,5%, 1%, 1,5%, dan 2% b/v). Larutan edible coating yang diperkaya asam sitrat dikarakterisasi berdasarkan penampakan visual, nilai pH, dan analisis gugus fungsional menggunakan FTIR, sementara kualitas melon potong dievaluasi melalui susut bobot, kadar air, kekerasan, browning index (BI), total padatan terlarut (TPT), total asam tertitrasi (TAT), dan uji organoleptik. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa penambahan asam sitrat 0,5% secara signifikan menurunkan pH larutan dan efektif menekan susut bobot hingga 9,40 ± 2,06%, dengan nilai total asam tertitrasi sebesar 1,18 ± 0,20% dan browning index sebesar 2,16 ± 0,55 pada hari ke-12 penyimpanan. Temuan ini menunjukkan bahwa edible coating pati jagung-gelatin yang diperkaya asam sitrat, khususnya pada konsentrasi 0,5%, merupakan pendekatan ramah lingkungan yang menjanjikan untuk mempertahankan kualitas melon potong selama penyimpanan dingin.