Our previous research with chitosan leads us to conclude that 2.5% chitosan can be promptly used as a fruit coating. However, to be used as a fruit coating for climacteric fruits, the effect of ethylene trapped under chitosan coating on ripening needs to be blocked. 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) is known as an anti-ethylene and it can be applied in combination with chitosan. This research which was conducted during September-October 2013 was aimed at studying the effects of 1-MCP and its combination with 2.5% chitosan in prolonging fruit shelf-life and maintaining fruit qualities of two different ripening stages of 'Cavendish' banana. A completely randomized design of two factors was used. The first factor was 1-MCP gassing (control and 1-MCP), and the second one was chitosan (control and 2.5% chitosan). 1-MCP gas was developed by diluting 0.5 g 1-MCP powder into 30 ml of water. The results showed that the fruits of early and late stages responded differently to treatments of chitosan, 1-MCP, and their combination. (1) At early stage, the chitosan-coated fruit showed slow color development and fruit quality deterioration, whereas at late stage, the chitosan-coating accelerated ripening by a quick decrease of fruit firmness, decrease of soluble solid content and increase of acidity. (2) In general, 1-MCP lengthened shelf-life of banana fruits by slowing fruit quality deterioration, and its effect was accentuated when applied in combination with chitosan. (3) The effect of combined application of chitosan and 1-MCP was best if it was applied at fruit yellowing stage (stage V), because at early stage (stage III) the combined application resulted in imperfect fruit color development.

Eucheuma cottonii waste seaweed has high cellulose content. Therefore, it could be potentially used as a raw material for biodegradable films to replace plastic. A plastic film is its moisture resistance, and this property allows plastic films to be used as packaging materials and biodegraded by microbes. This research aims to obtain a concentration of glycerol and Carboxy Methyl Cellulose (CMC) to obtain the best biodegradable film characteristics from E. cottonii seaweed waste. This study was conducted in factorial by using a complete randomized block design with two factors: glycerol concentration and CMC concentration. Each treatment has three levels and three replications (3 × 3). The first factor was glycerol concentration: 0.25% (G1), 0.5% (G2), and 0.75% (G3). The second factor included concentrations of 1% CMC (C1), 2% CMC (C2), and 3% CMC (C3). Then, Tensile Strength (TS), thickness, solubility, and elongation were observed. Functional group analysis was conducted by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and biodegradability test. The results showed that the addition of glycerol concentrations of 0.5 and 0.7% and CMC from 1 to 3% produced tensile strengths of 23–39 MPa. These values are proportional to the tensile strength of Poly Tetra Fluoro ethyne (PTFE) and Poly Propylene (PP) synthetic plastics released by Dotmar Engineering Plastics. The biodegradability test showed that the produced biodegradable films decomposed after 14 days.

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Mangosteen fruit (Garcinia mangostana L.) is consumed mainly for two purposes, i.e., its aril for fresh or minimally processed products and its rind for herb and other health-related products. In fact, due to the high portion of rind compared to its whole fruit, its rind has a more important economic value, especially for its α-mangostin content. This study reported the effects of flower baggings on the α-mangostin content during mangosteen fruit growth. This field research was conducted in a farmer’s field at Gisting village, Tanggamus District, Lampung Province, Indonesia. The study was arranged in a 2 × 3 factorial design. The first factor was bagging date [2 and 4 weeks after anthesis (WAA)], and the second one was bagging material (unbagged or control, banana ‘Cavendish’- paper bag, and balloon). Fruit samplings were conducted in every two weeks during the periods of 8-16 WAA. The α-mangostin content was analyzed with HPLC [DionexUltiMate® 3000, autosampler, column compartment, Ultimate 3000 pump, UV detector, column Enduro C-18 (250 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 µm) with C18 guard]. The results showed that the α-mangostin content increased in a sigmoid pattern during fruit growth, and the increase was mostly not affected by bagging, bagging materials, and application periods. The α-mangostin content increased tremendously during 10-14 WAA, regardless of bagging, bagging materials and application periods. Bagging had resulted in the decrease of α-mangostin content during the latest period of fruit growth, regardless of bagging materials and application periods

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Physiological causes and insect attact are believed to increase yellow latex exudates in mangosteen fruits. To inhibit the causes, flower bagging should be applied. This research was aimed at studying the effects of flower baggings to two different flower developments in affecting mangosteen fruit qualities at harvest and during storage. Three bagging materials (unbagged, paper, and baloon) were applied to flowers of 2 and 4 weeks after anthesis (WAA). The fruits were sampled every 2 weeks during the periods of 8-16 WAA. The results showed that except α-mangosteen content that was slightly decreased during the latest periode of fruit growth by bagging at preharvest, flower baggings of both bagging materials and application periods mostly did not affect mangosteen fruit qualities at harvest, but they affected fruit shelf-life and qualities during storage. Flower baggings resulted in increased fruit shelf-life, with paper bagging applied in 2 WAA was better than that applied in 4 WAA. Paper bagging in 2 WAA resulted in the mangosteen fruit shelf-life of 29 days compared to 4 WAA which resulted in 14 days shelf-life. This research proved also that the occurence of yellow latex was much more likely affected by physiological causes, not by insect attacts.