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| UMM Students Research and Develop Natural Preservatives for Fish Fillets (Photo : Special) |
Indonesia is a maritime country with abundant fish commodities. So it is not surprising that many coastal communities utilize their fish catch harvests for consumption or sale. Of course, this cannot be separated from the quality of fish freshness that must be maintained. This prompted a team of students from the University of Muhammadiyah Malang (UMM) to conduct research and develop natural preservatives for fish fillets.
Team leader Ibnu Hafid stated that this research is aimed at competing in the National Student Scientific Week (PIMNAS), which will be held from October 14-19 in Surabaya. Their research focuses on the combination of edible coating compounds and bacteriocin as a long-lasting preservation alternative. The bacteriocin is derived from the gut bacteria of the shrimp species "Litopenaeus vannamei."
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"We want to experiment with both compounds. We are testing whether they are more effective when combined or applied separately, and our findings indicate that the combination works better," explained the food technology student.
According to him, Indonesians tend to store food that often spoils quickly. Therefore, many people process the leftover food many times or use synthetic preservatives as an alternative to extend the shelf life of food.
Hafid revealed that synthetic preservatives that are widely used by the public can have side effects if the dose is excessive. So the natural preservatives that they are currently developing can be the solution. Moreover, by using a very low dose, it is more effective in preserving food, especially fish fillets.
"Typically, fish can last at room temperature for about 18 hours. However, with this natural preservative, shelf life can be extended to approximately two days at room temperature. The application is simple: just dip the fish in a coating solution, let it drain, and wait until it dries," he explained.
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Despite the promising research, it was not without its challenges. They found it quite difficult to obtain the required compounds, even for up to a month. Luckily, the UMM campus always helps them with various supports. Starting from facilities, motivation, training, guidance, to costs. Thus, there were many conveniences in carrying out research experiments related to the development of this natural preservative.
In conclusion, Hafid advised consumers to be more aware in consuming food. Especially seeing that there are some producers who still do not comply with regulations in the use of food additives, especially food preservatives. Hafid was not alone in developing this research. He was accompanied by Abida Zahrotul Hartinia and Byarna Ayu Apriliani, Aquaculture students, and Dyas Nurhidayah Putri and Dinda Putri Ayuningtyas from the Food Technology study program. (zaf/wil/fajr)
