Evaluation of Palm Sap (Neera) Quality (Arenga pinnata Merr) in Processing of House Hold Palm Sugar (Case Study on Aren Farmers in Gunung Halu Village, Gunung Halu District, West Bandung Regency)

• Published in: IOP conference series. Earth and environmental science 2020-03, Vol.466 (1), p.12001
• Main Authors: Gunawan, W, Maulani, R R, Hati, E P, Awaliyah, F, Afif, A H, Albab, R G
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aluminum; Arenga pinnata; Aroma; Bamboo; Colonies; Color vision; Containers; Olfaction; pH effects; Smell; Storage containers; Sugar; Taste
• ISSN: 1755-1307; 1755-1315
• DOI: 10.1088/1755-1315/466/1/012001

Palm sap (Neera) is a sweet liquid that is obtained from the cutting of flower bunches of sugar palm (Arenga pinnata Merr). Nira used as a raw material for making palm sugar. Palm sugar with good quality depends on the quality of the sap processed. The research was conducted to study the different quality of nira in household processing of palm sugar based on differences in storage containers (lodong), namely traditional containers using bamboo and modern containers using aluminium. Harvesting of the nira was conducted in the morning and afternoon time. Observations were carried on chemical quality (pH and total soluble solid), organoleptic perception (color, aroma, and taste), and the number of bacterial colonies (total plate count). The results showed that then treatments using aluminium container had better quality of nira with a mean value of pH 6.95, mean value of TSS 13.7 Brix, the organoleptic perceptions of color is more clear, taste is sweet, and fragrant smell; and the mean number of bacterial colonies is 12.5.