Application of Chitosan Solution to Reduce Content Purine Substances (Total Alkaloids) in Melinjo Seeds

Abstract

Melinjo beans are one of the mainstay commodities of Indonesian society. One of the food products produced from melinjo beans is melinjo chips but inside melinjo beans there is a relatively large amount of purine substance. Consuming foods that contain a lot of purine (total alkaloids) can cause gout or swelling in the joints. This research aims to reduce the content of purine inside melinjo beans. The method to decrease total alkaloids by immersion process using water and chitosan solution. The various chitosan solution's concentrations were 0.5%, 1.0% and 1.5% at time 20,40 and 60 minutes and at temperatures 30oC, 50oC and 70oC. The analyzed for level of ash, total protein as well as purine content (total alkaloids). The results showed that purine content inside melinjo beans before immersion process was 1.3264% and after immersion had decreased. The lowest purine content after immersion with water solution was 0.1033%, at a concentration of 0.5% was 0.0899 %, at a concentration of 1.0% was 0.0878% and at a concentration of 1.5% was 0.0711%. The lowest total alkaloids were obtained at temperature 50˚C and at time 40 minutes with the decrease until 94.63%