Pengaruh kombinasi suhu dan ketebalan irisan kunyit (Curcuma longa L) terhadap karakteristik bubuk kunyit

Abstract

Turmeric (Curcuma longa L) is a spice widely used in food and traditional medicine. However, its high water content makes it susceptible to quality degradation after harvest. One effort to overcome this problem is through the drying process and processing turmeric into powder form. This study aimed to analyze the effect of the combination of drying temperature and slice thickness on the characteristics of the resulting turmeric powder. The study was arranged using a completely randomized design (CRD) with two treatment factors, namely drying temperatures of 60°C, 65°C, 70°C, 75°C, and 80°C, and slice thicknesses of 2 mm and 3 mm, with two replications. The parameters observed included color characteristics (L*, a*, and b* values), water content, solubility, and curcumin content. Data analysis was carried out using ANOVA and continued with Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (DMRT) at a significance level of 5%. The results showed that the combination of drying temperature and slice thickness had a significant effect on the brightness value (L*) and water content of turmeric powder, but did not significantly affect the color values a* and b*, solubility, or curcumin content. Turmeric powder can be produced using a combination of drying temperatures of 65–80 °C with a turmeric rhizome slice thickness of 2 mm, or a combination of a drying temperature of 80 °C with a turmeric rhizome slice thickness of 3 mm.