PENGARUH PENCUCIAN TERHADAP KADAR KLORIDA PADA PROSES PEMBUATAN KARAGINAN DARI RUMPUT LAUT Eucheuma cottonii

Washing Effects of Chloride Content in Process of Making Carrageenan of Seaweed, Eucheuma cottoniiThis study was conducted experimentally using Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with three (3) of standard treatments and three (3) replications. Stages of treatments included: Extraction of seaweed with three stages: extraction of seaweed with normal washing process, the twice extraction of the seaweed with laundering at the beginning, and four times extraction of the seaweed with the washing at the end. Drying of seaweed extraction, milling of dried seaweed to be come carrageenan, and filtering. Carrageenan screening results conducted to determine the yield, test physical parameters such as viscosity, pH, water content, the gel strength, and ash content. And also test the chemical parameters such as levels of sulphate and chloride levels (as cleaning KCl based). The results showed that the washing process four times in the end give chloride levels (as KCl based cleaning) was lowest with an average of 0,16%, compared to the treatment washing process twice in the beginning with an average of 0,33%. And the manual process of KCl based cleaning with an average of 0,49% therefore the normal process of providing value levels of chloride as KCl based cleaning was the highest. The results of the study concluded that the washing process at the beginning and at the end, affect the chloride levels based cleaning obtained at below 2%. The washing process that can be used for the manufacture of carrageenan of the seaweed (Eucheuma cottonii) were the best in the washing process four times at the end.Keywords: Eucheuma cottonii, leaching, chloride, carrageenan  ABSTRAK Penelitian ini dilaksanakan secara eksperimen dengan menggunakan metode Rancangan Acak Lengkap (RAL) dengan 3 (tiga) taraf perlakuan masing-masing 3 (tiga) kali ulangan. Tahapan kerja meliputi: Ekstraksi rumput laut dengan tiga tahapan yaitu ekstraksi rumput laut dengan proses pencucian normal, ekstraksi rumput laut dengan pencucian di awal sebanyak dua kali, dan ekstraksi rumput laut dengan pencucian di akhir sebanyak empat kali. Pengeringan hasil ekstraksi rumput laut, penggilingan rumput laut kering hingga menjadi karaginan, dan penyaringan. Hasil penyaringan karaginan dilakukan penentuan rendemen, uji parameter fisik seperti viskositas, pH, kadar air, kekuatan gel, dan kadar abu. Serta uji parameter kimia seperti kadar sulfat dan kadar klorida sebagai KCl dry based. Hasil yang diperoleh menunjukkan bahwa perlakuan proses pencucian empat kali di akhir memberikan nilai kadar klorida sebagai KCl dry based terendah dengan rata-rata 0,16%, dibandingkan dengan perlakuan proses pencucian dua kali di awal dengan rata-rata 0,33%, dan proses manual (sebagai KCl dry based) dengan nilai rata-rata 0,49%, jadi proses normal memberikan nilai kadar klorida (sebagai KCl dry based) yang menghasilkan nilai tertinggi. Hasil penelitian disimpulkan bahwa proses pencucian di awal dan di akhir, berpengaruh terhadap kadar klorida dry based yang diperoleh yaitu di bawah 2 %. Proses pencucian yang dapat digunakan untuk pembuatan karaginan dari rumput laut Eucheuma cottonii yang terbaik yaitu proses pencucian empat kali di akhir.Kata kunci :  Eucheuma cottonii, pencucian, klorida, karaginan