TEMPO.CO, Bengkulu - Two students from state High School in Bengkulu Yoravika Dwiwibangga and Darma Gusti Lestari produced a cake made from the shell of apple snail (Ampullariidae) and eggshell, that is said to be healthy since it could prevent osteoporosis.

According to Yoravika, apple snail’s shell and eggshell contain substances that can prevent osteoporosis, like calcium oxide. “It’s really good in preventing osteoporosis,” she said Thursday, October 27, 2016.

She admitted that she and Darma Gusti Lestari got the idea from online research. It needed four months to create the perfect recipe.

Yoravika explained, to make the cake, the shell of the golden snail and eggshell first need to be cleaned and soaked in a hot water to separate the shell and the snail. The shells are then re-soaked in water for six hours.

The next step is soaking the shells in a mixture of water and orange juice for another six hours. After that, dry the shells and then mash it into flour. The shell flour is then mixed with other ingredients, such as wheat flour, sago, cornstarch, egg, sugar, and baking soda. “The dough is ready,” she said.

Yoravika and Darma Gusti’s piece won the golden medal in the Indonesian Student’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Festival (FIKSI) in the category of food idea in Bandung in September 2016.

The cake can yet to be produced massively. Both of them are awaiting the results of further examination from the Food and Drugs Monitoring Agency (BPOM). However, the people of South Bengkulu gave a positive respond toward the idea. "The cake is edible; it is certainly safe,” she said.

PHESI ESTER JULIKAWATI