IPB LPPM Team Holds Production Training for Healthy Snacks in Posdaya Village

The Bogor Agricultural Institute (IPB) Team for Research and Community Service (LPPM) held a Training on Healthy Snack for Family Empowerment Pos Village (Posdaya) at Posdaya Mandiri in Cikarawang Village, Dramaga Subdistrict, Bogor Regency, (18/9). This activity was followed by approximately 20 Posdaya from Bogor city and regency.

Head of LPB IPB, Dr.Ir. Aji Hermawan said that IPB's LPPM would like to continue to enhance cooperation with Posdaya as a target for IPB to improve the food products produced.

Indonesia as an agricultural country has a variety of abundant food sources, especially from local raw materials such as cassava and sweet potatoes. Therefore local food sources must be developed into processed products which, besides being interesting, also should inspire consumer tastes and offer good nutrition for the community.

"We must often ask consumers and must explore the desires of consumers so that our processed products can continue to be improved according to consumer tastes. This is very related to the intended market. By being able to see the desires of consumers, automatically the market share of processed products can be accepted by consumers or the community, " said Aji Hermawan.

Dr. Aji added that in the current era of globalization, consumer demand for food products continues to grow. Consumers not only demand quality, nutritious, safe and delicious food products, but also according to taste or can even arouse prestige or classy effects for those who consume them. Therefore, innovation or creation of food products is not only focused on quality, nutrition and security alone. But aspects of consumer tastes (preferences) are also worth considering.

Deputy Head of IPB LPPM for Community Service Prof. Dr. Sugeng Heri Suseno said that there are a lot of LPPM IPB programs in the field of community service and the target is not only at the Circle of IPB Campus, but also to other regions in Indonesia such as North Tapanuli, Lombok, East Java and so on.

"So this training is very good to be able to display processed products produced by Posdaya to be sold or displayed at IPB. Processed products from Posdaya can be a menu at meetings at IPB. Processed food from local raw materials has many benefits and as a substitute for carbohydrates from rice and flour. Its growth is numerous and spread throughout the countryside and in urban areas, but has not been used optimally. The types of tubers include cassava, sweet potato, and taro are the hope tubers to be developed into nutritious and delicious edible products, "said Dr. Sugeng.

Meanwhile, the Coordinator of the Posdaya Service Team, Ir. Yannefri Bakhtiar, M.Si said that one of the points of the 2018 IPB dedication team's activities in the field of Posdaya was to generate local potential and wisdom that was processed and developed by Posdaya into delicious and healthy cakes consumed, so as to support the family's economy .
"This training is also expected to improve expertise, increase self-confidence and be able to see business opportunities from food preparations made by each Posdaya. So that it will be ready to be displayed or marketed at the People's Market Market Agenda IPB LPPM, "said Ir. Yannefri.

Meanwhile, speaker person from the Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Agricultural Technology (Fateta) IPB Dr. Tjahja Muhandri explained that today consumers not only demand aspects of enjoyment of food products but also require health and safety aspects. This also applies to local food products. Therefore, if you want to win the hearts of consumers, local food products must be able to answer the growing demands of consumers.

"Local food products must always be developed, especially regarding health and safety aspects. Speaking of food quality, food security is a condition of good food quality. There is no meaning in talking about taste and nutritional value or good functional properties if these food products are not safe for consumption, "said Dr. Tjahja. (jhn)