Pembuatan Edible Coating Berbasis Pati Ubi Kayu Termodifikasi dengan Penambahan Kitosan dan Aloe Vera untuk Mempertahankan Kualitas Tomat

Abstract

Cassava starch is an abundant natural biopolymer with great potential as a base material for edible coatings due to its transparent appearance, odorless nature, and film-forming ability. However, native cassava starch has limited applicability and thus requires modification. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a modified cassava starch-based edible coating enriched with chitosan and aloe vera in preserving the quality of tomatoes during storage.The modified starch was obtained through a 3-day fermentation process using tapai yeast, resulting in starch with a moisture content of 10.16%, ash content of 0.56%, and protein content of 3.8%. The edible coating was formulated using cassava starch concentrations of 3%, 4%, and 5%, combined with 2% chitosan and aloe vera (in a 1:2 ratio), and 2 mL of glycerol. The coating solutions had a pH ranging from 4.80 to 5.47, viscosity between 2753– 3792 cP, and water vapor permeability ranging from 0.0663 to 0.0358 g/m²/hour. After 12 days of storage, tomatoes coated with the 5% starch formulation demonstrated the best performance: the lowest weight loss (4.84%), the highest vitamin C content (16.72 mg/100g), titratable acidity (0.262 g/100g), total soluble solids (TSS) of 4 °Brix, moisture content of 91.49%, and stable organoleptic scores (aroma: 3.3; color: 3.5; texture: 3.4). These results indicate that the modified cassava starch-based edible coating is effective in naturally extending shelf life and maintaining the quality of tomatoes.