At a press conference here on Saturday, Marine Affairs and Fisheries Minister Sakti Wahyu Trenggono encouraged innovations in the marine and fishery sector that are crucial for diversification of processed products within that sector and to offer greater value to the products.
Moreover, the public is expected to make the most of the ministry's other innovations to boost prosperity.
Several researches on boba indicated that tapioca boba can trigger digestion problems since boba has a low nutritional value, primarily fiber.
The ministry, through its research agencies, has developed an alternative product to replace tapioca boba, specifically a healthy boba from green caviar, which is a type of Caulerpa sp seaweed.
Based on varied researches, this healthy boba can be a substitute to tapioca boba owing to its complete nutritional value.
Related news: Industry Ministry's plan to optimize downstreaming of seaweed industry
In essence, tapioca flour has a low nutritional value and does not contain minerals. Meanwhile, Caulerpa is nutritionally dense and contains protein, dietary fiber, amino acid, Omega 3, 6, and 9 fatty acid, and minerals, among others.
In terms of the protein content, the green caviar boba contains vegetable protein, reaching 17-27 percent; high antioxidants due to the presence of vitamin A, B2, B3, B12, C, and E; as well as amino acid on account of glutamic acid, serine, alanine, and others.
In terms of the mineral content, green caviar boba contains calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, manganese, and zinc; insoluble dietary fiber that can help to prevent colon cancer, constipation, and hemorrhoids; and low fat content that makes it ideal for those on a diet.
In addition to its high health quotient, this innovation addresses Caulerpa's weakness, which is its short shelf life of only two to three days.
Processing Caulerpa into boba preserves the freshness of its taste, smell, image, nutritional quality, shape, and texture. However, it can still be stored and be ready to use as boba drink toppings.
The green caviar boba research result was included in Indonesia's 112 innovations in 2020 and can be accessed at http://bit.ly/112BIC2020.
Related news: Benefits of seaweed cultivation for Indonesian economy
Translator: M Razi Rahman, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Suharto
Copyright © ANTARA 2021
