One of the Professor Chair Holders of IPB Determined to Produce Delicious and Healthy Foods
One of the Professor Chair Holders of the Faculty of Agriculture of IPB (Bogor Agricultural University) (FATETA IPB), Prof. Dr. Hanny Wijaya, intends to develop typical Indonesian foods into flavourful and healthy foods. According to her, food is comprised of nutrients that are classified by their role in the body: the energy-yielding macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein, and fat), the essential micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, and water), and numerous other components such as to drive potent sensory stimulus and physiologic process.
"The third function, the physiologic process, to avoid foods they love to eat. Eating food (healthy or not) should never be a “crime” or “wrong”; it should be a pleasure and a privilege. Therefore, I want to study the tasty family food that is quietly healthy, "she said in a press conference prior to her scientific oration at the Baranangsiang Campus, Bogor, on 28 January 2016. Prof Hanny has conducted scientific oration Professors, Saturday (30/1) at the Campus IPB, Bogor.
In her oration on "Citarasa: Dari Pangan Lezat Menuju Khasiat Bagi Kesehatan (Tasty family food: the adjustment of tasty foods and are adjusted into better and healthy foods", Prof. Hanny explained her studies. Today less favourable flavour such as bitter and acrid, are physiologically active compounds that become icon for healthy foods.
"Being identified as potential sources of these dilemmatic phenomena, food as component to drive sensory stimulus whether it is associated with the taste? The sense of taste is stimulated when nutrients or other chemical compounds activate specialized receptor cells within the oral cavity. Understanding of how chemical properties of foods provide structure for handling more precise of the utilization of the function of food, "said award-winning of Women's Outstanding Indonesian researchers.
She pointed out, unique spices of Sumatra “andaliman, One type of herb that until now were limited utilization of primary commodities is andaliman (Zanthoxylum acanthopodium DC). A spicy flavor and aroma of chili spiciness andaliman different, really fit on the tongue Sumatra people (Batak) who like spicy food bite. When bitten by the smell of fragrant essential oil with a distinctive flavor-tart-that stimulate saliva production. This andaliman has been reported to be potentially overcome rheumatism, dysentery or gastrointestinal illness as well as a variety of other health problems such as antiinflammatori, analgesics, antibiotics, hepatoprotective, until immunostimulant.
Recipient of several Indonesian Innovation Awards (Kemenristek-BIC) stated another Indonesian typical functional ingredient is Tempeh Semangit. Tempe Semangit and tempe bosok (tempe over fermentated) have been utilized in the traditional Javanese dishes as they produce distinctive aroma and flavor.
Prof. Hanny also developed Cajuput candy, this candy made from extract Cajuput Oil. Another product is Kumis kucing (Orthosiphon grandiflarus), those two products are useful for healthy and cold (antidiabetic drinks). "Initially she doubts whether those candy and specific drinks are marketable, because their specific taste and aroma. But unexpectedly, it turns out people like it, "she said.
These innovations enabled her to win a number of awards from national and international institutions. Among awards she had been granted were Anugerah Kekayaan Intelektual Luar Biasa (AKIL – The Outstanding Intellectual Property Award) by the Ministry of Education And Culture on 2012, she bad been recognized to be the ASEAN Food Producer in Singapore on 2013.
In addition to the Cajuput candy and Kumis Kucing functional drinks, she had also developed a Quick Tempe or “instant tempeh”. Such technology is not only "flavor friendly” but also "economical and environmental friendly" technology. Moreover, this technology has ever been implemented by industry and are also being applied by soybean producers.
"Taste and the properties of foods should be like coins, they always have two faces but always complement each other, as food is not to cure. Plenty of food materials contain medications material, but remember that the food plays a major role in food pleasure (texture and taste contrasts, and food meltdown) and provide our nutrition, "she said. (Wied)
