Optimasi Sterilisasi Buah Kelapa Sawit dengan Energi Gelombang Mikro: Faktor-Faktor yang Mempengarhi Generasi Panas

Abstract

Optimization of palm fruit sterilization with microwave energy carried out by experimental design and laboratories scale experiments. Experiments were performed in two stages: factor screening (factorial design) and optimization by RSM (response surface methodology). The independent variables used were palm fruit mass (X1: 500-1000 grams), microwave power (X2: 240-560 watts), and sterilization time (X3: 8-16 min). The dependent variables measured were temperature, moisture loss, and FFA contents. Optimum conditions obtained based on this RSM were a temperature of 62,51oC with 1000 grams of mass, 486,8 watts of power, and 13,96 min of time; moisture loss 32,07% with 350,7 grams of mass, 639,29 watts of power, 18.728 min of time; and FFA contents of 1,45% with 1000 grams of mass, 301,19 watts of power, and 12,25 min of time. The optimal conditions of this RSM differ from the optimal conditions obtained from the experiments in the laboratory. The optimal conditions based on experiments in the laboratory were 44,2 oC with 1000 grams of mass, 240 watts of power, and 8 min of time; moisture loss 19,88% with 330 grams of mass, 400 watts of power and 12 min of time; FFA 0,18% with 750 grams of mass , 400 watts of power, and 12 min of time. The best overall condition obtained based on RSM were 330 grams of mass, 261 watts of power, and 18,73 min of time with the resultant responses were temperature of 63,2oC, moisture loss 19,11%, and FFA contents 0,98%. While the best overall conditions obtained from the research conducted were 330 grams of mass, 400 watts of power, and 12 min of time with the resultant responses were temperature of 63,9°C, moisture loss of 19,88%, and FFA contents of 0,82%. The inaccuracy of model equations cause the difference of result between RSM and the observed because the model equations did not represent the data.