IPB University Professor: Breadfruit Has the Potential to Become a Local Superfood and Indonesia’s Food of the Future
Amid the challenges of climate change and the need to strengthen national food security, breadfruit is considered to have great potential as both Indonesia’s food of the future and a local superfood. According to Prof Edi Santosa, a professor at the Faculty of Agriculture at IPB University, breadfruit meets a number of important criteria that make it worthy of this designation.
“A food can be called a superfood if it has high nutritional content without antinutrients, provides health benefits, and is cultivated in a way that is low in carbon emissions and resilient to climate change. Based on various studies and field observations, breadfruit meets all three of these criteria,” he explained.
From a nutritional perspective, Prof Edi explained that sukun has several advantages over other carbohydrate sources. In addition to being rich in fiber and having a lower glycemic index, sukun also contains vitamin C, and some studies have found it to contain vitamin A, folate, iron (Fe), and zinc (Zn), which play a crucial role in supporting nutritional needs and preventing stunting.
“Breadfruit also has better nutritional content than cassava. However, every food source has its own advantages and they complement one another, so there’s no need to pit them against each other,” he said.
He explained that another advantage of breadfruit lies in its adaptability to climate change. This perennial tree-like plant can thrive in both high-rainfall areas and arid regions, such as in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). “With relatively minimal care, the sukun tree can still produce fruit almost year round,” he added.
According to Prof Edi, sukun also has enormous economic potential, especially when processed into flour. Sukun flour can be used to make a variety of modern food products, ranging from bread and noodles to various other processed foods. This opens up broader market opportunities, including for the food industry.
Meanwhile, for the export market in the form of fresh fruit, stronger promotional efforts are still needed so that the international community can learn how to process and consume sukun. He believes that the jackfruit’s success in penetrating the global market can serve as a model for the development of Indonesia’s local commodities.
“What is needed now is to strengthen promotion, food culture, and the industry. Sukun themed festivals or competitions could be a step toward boosting its popularity. The mass media also plays a crucial role in introducing sukun as Indonesia’s superfood,” he concluded. (Lp) (IAAS/LAN)
