IPB Researchers Formulate Rich-in-Fibre Soup from Yellow Pumpkin and Torbangun
Changes in lifestyle and eating habits at this time has shifted health problems from infectious to degenerative diseases. Cardiovascular disease ranks first as the non-communicable disease of the world's largest cause of death which also occurs in productive age society. The eating habits of foods high in energy, cholesterol and saturated fats, and also the lack of fiber consumption become a trigger factors of cardiovascular disease. These conditions can be improved by modifying consumption patterns with a functional dietary diet rich in fiber and antioxidants.
Based on this conditions, team of researchers from the Department of Community Nutrition, Faculty of Human Ecology, Bogor Agricultural University (IPB), consisted of Prof. Muhammad Rizal Martua Damanik, Dr. Eny Palupi STP and Irma Nurmala formulated yellow pumpkin cream soup with the addition of torbangun as an effort to increase fiber consumption, antioxidant, and expected to be alternative functional food potentially prevent cardiovascular disease.
Torbangun plant contains many micro nutrients and bioactive substances. The bioactive components contained in the torbangun leaves function as antioxidants. In addition, torbangun leaves can also increase breast milk volume, decrease complaints of premenstrual syndrome, efficacious as anti-fungal and/or antibacterial, and analgesic. Since torbangun has a distinct sense of bitterness and distinctive odor, it is necessary to develop a torbangun into various food products that combine with other foodstuffs to improve torbangun's acceptance and consumption.
In addition to torbangun, yellow pumpkin also has great potential to be developed into functional food, because yellow pumpkin contains high fiber and beta-carotene as an antioxidant.
"Torbangun and yellow pumpkin plants are processed into cream soup since this thick liquid food began to be widely consumed and prefered by the community as a breakfast menu or a snacks. Most of the products of cream soup on the market are made using wheat flour base. Instant cream soup made from yellow pumpkin has a good acceptance, and has the advantage in terms of nutrition because it contains high beta-carotene, "said Prof. Rizal.
In this study, there were three formulas based on the level of addition of Torbangun powder, ie F1 (750 mg), F2 (1000 mg), and F3 (1250 mg). The preferred formula was F3, a cream soup with the addition of 1250 mg torbangun powder. The value of antioxidant capacity was in the range of 46.145 – 48.029 mg / 100 g AEAC.
The chemical properties of selected soup showed 81% water content, 2.04% ash, 1.86% fat, 2% protein, 13.84% carbohydrate, 4.8% dietary fiber, and antioxidant capacity 48.029 mg / 100 g AEAC. Selected soup products contribute to ALG (Nutrition Facts Label) of common gropus of 5.6% energy, 5% protein, 4.16% fat, 6.39% carbohydrate, and 24% dietary fiber.
"Selected soup products can be claimed as a source of fiber," he said. (TK)
