Eid al-Adha at UMM: Qurbani Meat Wrapped in Cassava and Taro Leaves

Author : Humas | Sunday, June 16, 2024 07:26 WIB

UMM uses environmentally friendly alternative wrappers (Photo: Rino PR)

Something unique happened during the Eid al-Adha and Qurbani celebrations at the University of Muhammadiyah Malang (UMM) on June 17th. Instead of using plastic, the UMM qurbani team used besek, taro leaves, and cassava leaves to wrap the qurbani meat that had been butchered. It is one of the attempts of the White Campus to promote Green Qurban.

"It is our commitment to protect the environment. It is also our way of spreading the message, which will be followed by many people. UMM has been doing this for the past few years, and thank God it was well received. It is a tradition that must continue to be implemented," said the head of the UMM Qurbani Committee, Abdus Salam, S.Sos., M.Si.

Salam added that this green qurban is also aligned with various terms in Muhammadiyah, such as Muhammadiyah green cadres and green verses. Both are Muhammadiyah's way of taking care of the earth. In addition, this qurbani is also aligned with the SDG's that UMM has been promoting lately.

Furthermore, Salam hopes that the green qurban at UMM can inspire the public to change the habit of using plastic in the distribution process of qurbani meat. It could be used as a basis for the government to provide a regional regulation or a recommendation for the implementation of green qurban so that more and more people are aware of the importance of protecting the environment and the earth. UMM received a number of qurbani animals. So far, there are 19 goats, five sheep, and 12 cows. This amount can increase because there are still a few days before Eid Adha. Some of them were sent to various regions, including Sumbawa.

Regarding the use of cassava leaves as meat wrappers, the UMM Qurbani animal health team, led by Ir. Ali Mahmud, S.Pt. M.Pt., explained the reason. According to him, cassava leaves have active compounds, namely flavonoids and phenolics. Both are secondary metabolites produced by plants and have many functions. One of them is an antioxidant that can reduce the oxidation process in meat. Therefore, the meat can remain fresh during the distribution process to the public.

"Using the leaves as meat wrappers is not only to replace plastic but also to protect the environment. But it also provides benefits for the meat to keep it fresh," he said.

UMM White Campus also always ensures the health of cows and goats that will be butchered. According to him, all of UMM's sacrificial animals have been carefully examined to ensure that the animals and meat are safe for consumption.

His team is also involved in further inspections during the purchase process. They check the history of the breeder, check the age of the animal, and buy from trusted breeders. To determine whether the animal is healthy or not, Ali and his team have checked several things, such as the absence of wounds, excessive saliva, eyes that are not droopy, hair that does not stand up, and nails that are not pale.

"A healthy qurbani animal can also be seen from the pores of the nose that release a little liquid. We also check whether the lungs are healthy by looking at whether or not the animal is snoring," he added.

There is also an animal health certificate, which is one of the important aspects of assessing the condition of the qurbani animals, both cows and goats. He said that the cows and goats have been declared free from liver fluke, anthrax, and even Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) viruses. When the animals were butchered, all the viscera, liver, and lungs were also clean and healthy. "So it is completely free from bacterial and parasitic elements," Ali concluded. (wil/put)

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