The Effect of Drying Method on Physical and Chemical Characterictic of Porang (Amorphophallus muelleri Blume) Chips in North Sumatera Province

¹ Department of Agriculture, Politeknik Pembangunan Pertanian Medan, Indonesia
² Department of Plantation, Politeknik Pembangunan Pertanian Medan, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: gustisetiavani80@gmail.com

Abstract

Porang is a commodity currently being developed in North Sumatra. Drying is a crucial factor influencing the quality of porang chips, selecting the appropriate drying method can enhance the quality of porang chips. This study reports effect of various drying on the physical and chemical characteristics of porang chips. Porang tuber processed into chips followed a traditional method. Drying treatment include coventional, oven, solar dryer, and greenhouse. The drying rate in the solar dryer was higher compared to other methods (0.18 kg/hour). The results showed a significantly (p<0.05) higher yield (18.76 ± 0.21%) in oven than other drying method. The solar dryer exhibited higher ash (8.72 ± 0.06%), proteins (4.69 ± 0.13%), and fats (1.13 ± 0.04%) and lower water (08.53 ± 0.17%), and iron content (3.43 ± 0.01%). Solar dryer showed significantly higher glucomannan (84,42 ± 0,27%). Person correlation showed significant and positive correlation between ashes and fats, ashes and glucomannans, proteins and ashes, proteins and fats, proteins and glucomannans. This result showed significantly effected of drying method to the physical (yield) and some chemical characteristic of porang chip.