Sago as Raw Material for Instant Noodles

KOMPAS/FRANSISKUS PATI HERIN

Sago flour is sold at Mardika Market, Ambon City, Maluku. Sago flour is an ingredient for making papeda.

Researchers from the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) have innovated sago as a substitute raw material for producing instant noodles. Sago is gluten-free and has a low glycemic index, and is an abundant local food source in Indonesia.

Wheat imports are skyrocketing in Indonesia in line with the increasing demand for wheat flour among noodle and bread businesses. Indonesia’s import volume for wheat now reaches over 11 million tons per annum. According to the US Department of Agriculture, this is the fourth largest import volume for wheat in the world after Egypt, China and Brazil.

On the other hand, Indonesia is rich in local sources of raw materials for food ingredients, such as sago. In a report from IPB University, sago agriculture covers more than 5 million hectares in Indonesia, of which 90 percent is located in Papua and West Papua. One hectare of sago plants can produce 20-40 tons of starch, so 5 million hectares of sago have the potential to produce 100 million-200 million tons of starch per year.

Sadly, this enormous potential has not been used optimally. For this reason, researchers from the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) have innovated food processing technology to diversify sago-based foods.

A 2017 report by the World Instant Noodles Association (WINA) showed that Indonesia’s instant noodle consumption reached 13.2 billion portions, or an average of one package of instant noodles per person per week.

One of the products that have been developed is Sago Mee. This product is expected to substitute the instant noodles made from wheat flour that are widely consumed by the public. A 2017 report by the World Instant Noodles Association (WINA) showed that Indonesia’s instant noodle consumption reached 13.2 billion portions, or an average of one package of instant noodles per person per week.

“The [nutritional] content of sago flour is far better than wheat flour. Apart from being gluten-free, sago has a lower glycemic index. In this way, sago is safer for consumption among people who have diabetes,” said Purwa Tru Cahyana, a researcher from the BPPT Agro-industrial Technology Center.

KOMPAS/PANDU WIYOGA

Sago tual was brought from the garden to the wet sago processing site in Nerekeh Village, Daik District, Lingga Regency, Riau Islands, by being swept away by the river on Friday (25/10/2019). In Nerekeh, there are at least 32 tual processing places into wet sago.

Nonetheless, the gluten-free characteristic of sago flour also posed a challenge in producing noodles with a texture similar to that of wheat based noodles. Various attempts were made in developing such a product from the outset of the study, which commenced in 2011. Only in 2018 did the research team succeed in determining the right formulation for producing non-wheat instant noodles.

Purwa explained the process of making sago-based instant noodles, beginning with mixing sago starch with other materials. The mix is then pressed to form strips of dough.

Once the dough is ready, it can be cut and shaped directly to form noodles. This is unlike the process of making instant noodles using wheat flour. In the case of instant noodles made from wheat flour, the dough strips must be steamed before it is cut and shaped. The steaming process is necessary to make noodles elastic by dehydrating the wheat gluten.

“In this manner, the time it takes to produce sago instant noodles is shorter than that for making wheat instant noodles. While saving time, it can also save the energy expended in the production process,” said Purwa.

They are also easy to consume, as the noodles take only around 4 minutes to prepare by immersing in hot water.

After the noodles are cut and shaped, they are fried, cooled and then finally packaged. Presently, sago noodles are produced in cup packaging. They are also easy to consume, as the noodles take only around 4 minutes to prepare by immersing in hot water.

The patent for producing sago instant noodle using the sheet cutter method is registered on 3 Sept. 2018 with the Directorate General of Intellectual Property at the Ministry of Law and Human Rights. The number of the registered patent is P00201806787.

Industrial scale

BPPT Agro-industry Technology Director Hardaning Pranamuda said that Sago Mee had passed the product formula verification standards from laboratory production to industrial production in 2019. In early 2020, the BPPT Technology Service Center finalized its commercial production contract with PT Langit Bumi Lestari.

KOMPAS/YUNIADHI AGUNG (MYE) 20-02-2020

Sago Brownies

Langit Bumi Lestari is an Indonesian company that pioneered the modern tapioca and sago industry on Bangka Island. According to the agreed deal, Sago Mee will start mass production in 2020 with a target output of around 50,000 cups per month.

One 100-gram serving of sago instant noodles has 395.67 kilocalories and contains 63.46 grams of carbohydrates, 30.44 grams of fat, and 2.23 grams of protein, as well as other nutrients. One pack of Sago Mee instant noodles has a net weight of 70 grams. The seasonings are prepared without the flavor enhancer monosodium glutamate (MSG).

This factory has earned a high score for CPPOB (good manufacturing practices) and is accredited by the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM).

According to Hardaning, Langit Bumi Lestari has already installed the necessary facilities and equipment to produce the new product in its factory. This factory has earned a high score for CPPOB (good manufacturing practices) and is accredited by the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM).

The factory is also licensed for manufacturing processed food products. Meanwhile, it is in the process of applying for a distribution license for Sago Mee.

The targeted date for the official launch of Sago Mee is in August 2020. The month was chosen to coinciding with National Technology Awakening Day that falls on 10 Aug. and the BPPT anniversary on 21 Aug.

“The BPPT continues to carry out research into technological applications to develop innovations for the enhancement of the status and value added of local food resources, within the framework of realizing national food sovereignty,” said Hardaning. (DEONISIA ARLINTA)