Huliyatul Aqiyah, Fahimatul Ulya

PENGARUH KONSENTRASI SARI DAUN PEPAYA GANTUNG SEBAGAI SUMBER ENZIM PAPAIN TERHADAP PROSES DEKAFEINASI KOPI LIBERIKA

Introduction

Pengaruh konsentrasi sari daun pepaya gantung sebagai sumber enzim papain terhadap proses dekafeinasi kopi liberika. Teliti dekafeinasi kopi Liberika menggunakan sari daun pepaya gantung (enzim papain). Temukan metode alami & ramah lingkungan untuk kopi rendah kafein dengan degradasi optimal.

Abstract

Kopi merupakan komoditas perkebunan bernilai ekonomi tinggi, namun konsumsi kafein yang berlebihan dapat menyebabkan gangguan kesehatan. Metode dekafeinasi konvensional umumnya menggunakan pelarut organik yang berpotensi meninggalkan residu berbahaya, sehingga diperlukan alternatif yang lebih alami. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji pengaruh konsentrasi sari daun pepaya gantung (Carica papaya var. pendens) sebagai sumber enzim papain terhadap proses dekafeinasi kopi Liberika (Coffea liberica). Metode yang digunakan adalah Rancangan Acak Lengkap (RAL) dengan satu faktor yaitu konsentrasi sari daun pepaya gantung (0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, dan 80%) dengan durasi fermentasi 36 jam dan tiga kali pengulangan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan adanya korelasi positif antara konsentrasi sari daun pepaya gantung dengan penurunan kadar kafein. Penambahan sari daun pepaya gantung konsentrasi 20%, 40%, dan 60% mampu menurunkan kadar kafein masing-masing sebesar 10,04%, 38,50%, dan 49,19% dibandingkan sampel kontrol. Pada konsentrasi 80%, kadar kafein berada di bawah batas deteksi metode yang digunakan, mengindikasikan degradasi kafein hampir sempurna. Mekanisme degradasi kafein oleh enzim papain diduga melalui hidrolisis ikatan C-N pada struktur purin kafein, menghasilkan metabolit yang lebih sederhana. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan potensi sari daun pepaya gantung sebagai agen dekafeinasi alami yang lebih ramah lingkungan untuk menghasilkan kopi Liberika rendah kafein.  

Review

This study presents a timely and relevant investigation into developing a natural and safer method for coffee decaffeination, addressing concerns regarding the use of potentially hazardous organic solvents in conventional processes. The authors propose an innovative approach utilizing *Carica papaya var. pendens* leaf extract as a readily available source of papain enzyme to decaffeinate Liberica coffee (*Coffea liberica*). The chosen experimental design, a Completely Randomized Design, systematically evaluates the impact of varying extract concentrations, providing a clear framework for assessing its efficacy. The research successfully demonstrates a strong positive correlation between increasing concentrations of papaya leaf extract and a significant reduction in caffeine content. Notably, the study reports substantial caffeine reductions ranging from 10.04% to 49.19% at extract concentrations of 20%, 40%, and 60% respectively, compared to the control. The most striking finding is the near-complete degradation of caffeine at 80% extract concentration, where the caffeine level fell below the detection limit of the method used, strongly indicating high effectiveness. The proposed mechanism of caffeine degradation via papain's hydrolysis of C-N bonds in the purine structure is biologically plausible and contributes to the understanding of the observed effect. Overall, this research offers a highly promising and environmentally friendly alternative for producing low-caffeine Liberica coffee. The findings lay a strong foundation for the application of natural enzymes in food processing, particularly in the coffee industry. For future work, it would be beneficial to include a more detailed characterization of the residual caffeine at the highest concentration, perhaps with a lower detection limit method if possible, and to analyze the impact of the decaffeination process on the sensory profile (flavor, aroma) of the Liberica coffee. Further investigations into optimizing other parameters like fermentation temperature and a comprehensive assessment of the economic viability and scalability for industrial application would also strengthen the practical utility of this promising method.

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