"The research result of the palm-based coating application aims to increase horticulture products' freshness period," Head of BRIN’s Agriculture and Food Research Organization Puji Lestari informed.
The coating solution has been developed to maintain the freshness of fruits and prevent post-harvest weight loss. The main ingredients in the coating are palm derivatives, all of which come from local ingredients.
The technology is a form of commitment from BRIN to support national food security by providing fresh food ingredients and reducing potential waste of ingredients, Lestari informed.
By extending the shelf life of products, the distribution reach for horticulture products can also be expanded, which can help improve the horticulture industry in Indonesia.
Horticulture products have high value if their freshness is maintained, which necessitates special handling to maintain their quality till they reach the hands of customers.
Related news: Technology can help prevent food loss, build resiliency: BRIN
However, fruits, specifically tropical fruits, generally have a short shelf life, which results in the loss of more than 30 percent of harvested fruits.
The coating technology can provide a solution to maintain the quality of fruits for a long period of time.
In addition, utilizing palm derivative products in the coating solution would also increase palm's added value and support technology independence.
"Thus, we would not need to rely on imports since we would already have the ingredients by utilizing the palm that we have," Lestari explained.
The coating technology has been developed with funding support from the Palm Oil Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPDPKS).
To introduce palm-based coating technology to horticulture businessmen, BRIN is cooperating with BPDPKS to carry out information dissemination in three regions: Yogyakarta, Malang, and Bandung.
Related news: BRIN creates fruit coating solution from palm oil derivative products
Translator: Martha H S, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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