Andalas University Develops Functional Food Innovation from Local Commodities

Andalas University (Unand) in West Sumatra is developing food innovations based on biological resources or local commodities that have the potential to support the public health sector. Through an international research collaboration, the team is creating a functional pasta made from local raw materials, according to the head of the research team from Unand’s Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Fauzan Azima. He stated that the development of functional food is a strategy to increase the added value of local commodities while delivering innovations capable of providing health benefits. Through this research, part of an international research network, Unand aims to demonstrate that local Indonesian food ingredients have significant potential to be developed into functional foods with scientific and economic value, as well as health benefits. The functional pasta is developed using pumpkin flour, soy flour, and sugar palm fruit puree, enriched with extracts of cassiavera (Indonesian cinnamon) and bawang dayak (eleutherine palmifolia). One of the research’s advantages is the utilisation of cassiavera, a leading commodity of West Sumatra. Indonesia supplies more than 85 per cent of the world’s cassiavera needs, with around 80 per cent of national exports originating from West Sumatra Province. Azima noted that cassiavera has largely been marketed as a raw material, and through this research, the team is seeking to increase its added value into a functional food product with the potential to support health, particularly cardiovascular health. He added that cassiavera is combined with bawang dayak because both contain bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, flavonoids, and phenolic compounds that may help maintain blood pressure and reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. As part of the research phase, the team has also conducted in vivo (pre-clinical) testing using animal subjects to evaluate the product’s potential against hypertension.