April 17, 2023. - (Dutabalinews.com), Warmadewa University (Unwar) academics introduced a vacuum packaging method to extend the shelf life of traditional lemuru fish pedetan food. Vacuum packaging is a vacuum packaging system where the pressure is less than 1 atm by removing O2 from the packaging so as to extend the shelf life.
Generally, packaging with airtight or vacuum packaging aims to prevent the growth of microorganisms. "If packed by vacuum, there is no air in the packaging, where air can be an intermediary for the damage process. damage by microbes that require air for their growth, damage by enzymes also requires air for the enzyme activity process," said Unwar academic Dr. Ni Made Ayu Suardani Singapurwa, STP., M.Si who is also the Head of the Community Service Team through the Regional Superior Product Development Program, Faculty of Agriculture, Unwar when confirmed on Sunday (16/4).
Suardani stated that the vacuum technique can be used manually or automatically by inserting the product into a vacuum plastic, removing air from the vacuum plastic and then sealing it or in other words, sealing it. This technique is able to maintain the durability of traditional pedetan food for up to 6 months. "If vacuum packed, it can still be good for up to 6 months, in terms of organoleptic, microbiology is still low (below the threshold) and the nutrition is still in accordance with SNI, both in terms of taste, aroma, color, texture and overall appearance," said Suardani who is also the Head of the Food Science and Technology Study Program, Faculty of Agriculture, Unwar. He said that storage with traditional methods has only been able to keep calves for up to 1 month.
The implementation of the vacuum method is expected to reduce losses experienced by the community and increase income. The vacuum method has also been introduced to the Mina Sari Sejahtera fish processing group in Perancak Village, Perancak District, Jembrana Regency on Saturday, April 15, 2023. The group, chaired by Ni Wayan Darwati, was formed in 2019 with 10 members.
