Reduction of oxalate levels in Banten local’s taro through immersionin salt water

Abstract

Muttakin S, Muharfiza, Lestari S. 2015. Reduction of oxalate levels in Bantenlocal’s taro through immersion in salt water. Pros Sem Nas Masy Biodiv Indon 1: 1707-1710. Banten’s local taro known as beneng taro (Xanthosoma undipes K. Koch). This plant has fruit which can reach a weight of 20 kg within 2 years crop. This commodity prospectives become local food sources for substitute rice and wheat flour. On the other hand, this taro has high oxalate content. It can cause uncomfortable mouthfeel and as anti-nutrition for the human. The objectives of this study were to analysis the effect of the portion and soaking time in salt suspension to reduce oxalate in beneng taro. The research was conduct in Assessment Institute for Agricultural Technology, Banten and Indonesia Postharvest Research and Development Center, Bogor on August-October 2012. The samples which use in this experiment were cultivated plant and wild type plant. Samples were treated by soaking in 10%, 20% 0r 30% salt suspension for 2 or 3 hours. The results show that beneng taro which treated by soaking in 10% salts suspension for 2 hours have the lowest oxalate content, meaning that this treatment was able to reduce oxalate for 51.5%. This results can adopt as guidance for a farmer to increase the quality of beneng taro product which has minimum oxalate.