UPN East Java Professor Develops Functional Coastal Food
Surabaya (ANTARA) - Prof Dr Dedin Finatsiyatull Rosida, Professor of Functional Food Chemistry at Universitas Pembangunan Nasional “Veteran” Jawa Timur (UPNVJT), is developing innovations in food based on coastal potential for health and national food self-sufficiency.
“The development of food based on local tubers is not only about food self-sufficiency but also concerns public health aspects,” she said in Surabaya on Sunday.
In an oration titled “Potential of Lowland and Coastal Food as Functional Food and Flavour Enhancer”, Prof Dedin emphasised that lowland and coastal regions have great potential as the backbone of national food production through commodities such as rice, maize, secondary crops, and fishery products.
She highlighted the utilisation of local tubers like kimpul (Xanthosoma sagittifolium) as an alternative food ingredient, which can increase resistant starch and dietary fibre content, benefiting sufferers of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
In addition, Prof Dedin also raised the potential of snails as an alternative source of animal protein with high protein content, low saturated fat, and rich in minerals such as calcium and iron.
Derivatives of snails such as mucin and shells are also considered to have high added value, including for the health and food industries through the production of chitosan which has antioxidant and anti-cholesterol properties.
She emphasised the importance of downstreaming research and strengthening human resources to increase the added value of food products based on local potential and global competitiveness.
Rector of UPNVJT Prof Akhmad Fauzi stated that the inauguration of five professors is part of the commitment to improving the quality of human resources, especially lecturers with civil servant status under employment agreements (PPPK).
“The inauguration of these five professors is an important milestone for us in strengthening the university’s academic capacity. Currently, UPN Veteran Jawa Timur has a total of 39 professors,” he said.
He affirmed that lecturers’ research must be increasingly strong and have a real impact on society, and emphasised that the professor position is the beginning of greater responsibility in producing knowledge and sustainable innovation.