Optimalisasi Umur Simpan Bunga Potong Sumbebrantas Melalui Formulasi Air Kelapa-Citric Acid

Abstract

Bunga hortensia adalah komoditas utama di Desa Sumberbrantas dan memicu peningkatan pendapatan masyarakat. Namun, bunga ini hanya bertahan 5 jam setelah panen. Solusi untuk masalah ini adalah dilakukan pelatihan pembuatan pengawet dari campuran air kelapa dan citric acid. Program pengabdian menggunakan model ABCD (Asset Based Community Development) dengan tahap define, discovery, dream, design, dan destiny. Pelatihan meliputi persiapan bahan, pembuatan pengawet, dan pendampingan implementasi. Hasil pelatihan menunjukkan masyarakat Desa Sumberbrantas mendepatan keterampilan baru dalam pembuatan pengawet bunga potong, serta berhasil memperpanjang umur simpan bunga potong hingga 22 hari. Evaluasi pelaksanaan kegiatan menunjukkan respon positif dari masyarakat. Peserta pelatihan merasa mendapatkan wawasan dan keterampilan baru yang bermanfaat untuk mempertahankan kualitas bunga potong. Inovasi penggunaan bahan lokal seperti air kelapa dan citric acid sebagai pengawet mampu mendukung ekonomi masyarakat Desa Sumberbrantas dengan memperpanjang umur simpan bunga potong.

Kata kunci—pengawet, air kelapa, citric acid, bunga potong, umur simpan

Abstract

Hortensia flowers are the main commodity in Desa Sumberbrantas and have significantly increased the community's income. However, these flowers only last for 5 hours after being harvested. To address this issue, a training program on making preservatives from a mixture of coconut water and citric acid was conducted. The community service program utilized the ABCD (Asset Based Community Development) model with stages including define, discovery, dream, design, and destiny. The training involved the preparation of materials, the creation of the preservative, and implementation assistance. The results showed that the people of Desa Sumberbrantas acquired new skills in making cut flower preservatives and successfully extended the shelf life of cut flowers to 22 days. The evaluation of the program implementation indicated a positive response from the community. The training participants felt they gained new insights and skills that are beneficial for maintaining the quality of cut flowers. The innovation of using local materials such as coconut water and citric acid as preservatives has the potential to support the economy of Desa Sumberbrantas by extending the shelf life of cut flowers.

Keywords—preservative, coconut water, citric acid, cut flower, shelf life