Pengaruh Vapor Heat Treatment Dan Suhu Penyimpanan Pada Mutu Buah Pepaya (Study of Vapor Heat Treatment to Maintain Papaya Quality at Different Storage Temperature)

Papaya is a fruit that has a short shelf-life as a result of the rapid metabolism from ripening to senescence. The research was aimed to study the influence of storage temperatures and vapour heat treatment (VHT) in delaying the senescence of papaya. VHT was treated at a temperature 46.5 °C for 15 and 30 minutes and control (without VHT). Storage was done at 13 oC (the optimum temperature for papaya's storage) and room temperature (26-30 oC). Research design was using completely randomized factorial and followed by Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT) if for test difference among treatment. Parameters observed were weight loss, peel color, firmness and total soluble solids. The result showed VHT at 46.5 oC for 30 minutes decreased rate of weight loss maintain firmness and accelerated peel yellowing, but was potentially to reduce total soluble solids. Lower temperature storage delayed ripening and there was no interaction effect between VHT treatment and storage temperatures