Study of sweetness level of Ambon banana (musa acuminata colla) using X-ray radiation method

Abstract

Banana is a climacteric fruit whose quality easily degenerates due to environmental factors. Bananas fruit will be continuing to do physiological activities that can lead to initial maturity before it reaches to the consumer. This condition can accelerate the damage both physically and microbiologically; it is necessarily needed the techniques that can keep the quality of fruit remains good. One of the techniques that can be used is a radiation technique. This study aims to determine the effect of X-ray radiation dose variation on the level of sweetness of Ambon banana (Musa acuminata Colla). X-ray radiation (X-type SF-100 BY) machine was used in Laboratory of Medical Physics at Universitas Negeri Semarang. Variation of radiation dose was used in the range (1.4 – 26.4)×10−9 gray. Measurement level of sweetness of Ambon banana was used a refractometer. Based on that measurement, Ambon banana irradiated with a radiation dose of (1.4 – 26.4) × 10−9 gray, the banana sweetness level of Ambon banana was decreased. At the same radiation dose but with different storage periods (1, 2, 3, and 4 days), it was found that the longer storage times, the sweetness of the Ambon banana was increased. The degree of sweetness of Ambon bananas after irradiated at radiation dose (1.4 – 26.4) × 10−9 gray is equal to (13.1 – 7.8) °Brix. The level of sweetness that is almost the same as irradiated Ambon banana at a dose of radiation of 1.4 × 10−9 gray on a 4-day storage period. It was found that the optimum value for the sweetness level of Ambon bananas preserved by the irradiation method using X-rays was at a radiation dose of 1.4 × 10−9 gray.