UNDIP – Food diversification is one of the strategic efforts to reduce Indonesia’s dependence on rice as the main staple food. In response to this challenge, Dr. Heny Kusumayanti, S.T., M.T., a Lecturer in Chemical Engineering (TRKI) at the Vocational School of Universitas Diponegoro, has developed an innovative research project titled “Production of Analog Rice from Cassava Composite Flour Using Extrusion Process.” This research utilizes cassava (Manihot utilissima), corn (Zea mays L.), and yam (Dioscorea sp) as the primary raw materials.
Heny stated that analog rice made from composite flour is considered to have the potential to be an alternative staple food because it is rich in nutrients such as carbohydrates, protein, and fiber. The research was conducted using both cold extrusion and hot extrusion methods with the objectives of:
- Characterizing the raw materials, which include cassava flour, corn flour, and yam flour.
- Producing analog rice using these two extrusion methods.
- Analyzing the product in terms of physical, chemical, and nutritional value.
“The production of analog rice using the extrusion methods, both cold extrusion and hot extrusion, is central to this research. The production process consists of three main stages: the preparation of flour from raw materials (cassava, corn, yam), the production of analog rice using an extruder, and the analysis of the product, including physical, chemical, and nutritional values,” Heny explained.
The research findings showed that the flour from the three types of raw materials has a high carbohydrate content, with purple yam flour at 82.32%, cassava flour at 81.20%, and corn flour at 72.90%. The best composition for producing analog rice is a mixture of 55% purple yam flour, 40% corn flour, and 5% cassava flour. This composition resulted in a product with carbohydrate content of 88.91%, protein 7.18%, and ash 2.25%.
Physically, the composite flour-based analog rice resembles conventional rice, with the results from hot extrusion showing superior physical and chemical characteristics compared to cold extrusion. This analog rice has also been proven to be stable in various thermal processing. It is rich in nutrients, making it an important innovation to support the national food security program.
“This research is expected to become a reference for the development of locally-based products with high added value. With the optimization of extrusion technology, we believe this analog rice can contribute to food diversification and strengthen national food security,” Heny stated.
This research also holds great promise for the development of the tuber-based food industry, especially in creating alternative products that the broader public can accept without compromising nutritional value and the quality of staple foods. (DHW)
