TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Food Technology and Process Research Center (PRTPP) of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), has identified at least 911 species of seaweed and 350 sea cucumbers (Holothuria) exist in Indonesia.

Quoted from the page at darilaut.id, partner of Teras.id, PRTPP BRIN researcher Ratih Pangestuti stated that out of a total of 911 seaweeds, only a few species of seaweed are processed into edible food, specifically utilized in the Phycocolloid sector.

Generally, seaweed is only found in traditional Indonesian dishes. Some of these foods include pecel latoh, urap latoh, rujak bulung, lawar seaweed, and others. This creates differences between countries in East Asia that utilize seaweed as an integral part of their dishes, so it is very easy to find in various restaurants.

Seaweed is full of potential health benefits for it is rich in bioactive ingredients such as polysaccharides, fatty acids, secondary metabolites, and others. The contents in seaweed also consist of Sodium oligomannate, which has been identified as a medicine for Alzheimer's disease based on research in China. Iota carrageenan and sulfated polysaccharides from red seaweed also helped to detain the growth of the Covid-19 virus in the body.

Another source of seafood is sea cucumbers, with a total of 1,716 species and the Asia Pacific consist the highest population of the species. Indonesia is the oldest and largest exporter of sea cucumbers in the world. At least, as many as 350 sea cucumbers have been identified in Indonesia, 26 of which have economic value.

The content of sea cucumbers consists of amino acids, collagen, omega three and six, essential minerals, and others. However, sea cucumbers are a source of seafood that has its challenges in its utilization. for example, there are at least five important things that need to be considered in the post-harvest process of sea cucumbers, namely Removal of the lime layer, boiling method, cleaning of the innard, salting and drying.

In addition, according to Ratih, the challenge in sea cucumber cultivation is in the packaging so it won't be damaged. Furthermore, it requires environmentally friendly and sustainable cultivation using Integrated Multi Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA). If it can be used optimally and sustainably, said Ratih, the oceans and their resources can be a solution to various issues, especially in the food sector.

NAOMY AYU NUGRAHENI | IMAJI LASAHIDO (INTERN)

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