Cassava (Manihot utilisima) commonly processed into various types of industrial products

Cassava (Manihot utilissima) commonly processed into various types of industrial products. Not only food, but also cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, pulp and paper, and energy. Engineers field of food technology from the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology Aton Yulianto, earlier this week, described the hydrolysis technology developed 20 years to break down starch into glucose containing chains of carbon and hydrogen elements. This element is also present in petroleum.

In Germany and Japan, said Aton, the utilization of cellulosic materials into ethanol began to shift the use of petroleum in the industry. Researchers at Bogor Agricultural University and the University of Jember successfully applied the techniques of fermentation using lactic acid bacteria. As a result, cassava is processed into thin slices can be decomposed into flour modified cassava flour (mocaf).

Mocaf processing techniques have been disseminated to the public, including young entrepreneurs. They are members of the Forum led Organizations (FOK), besides also produce wheat flour also makes a low-calorie sugar. Mocaf flour has a taste and characteristics similar to wheat flour. "As such, we do not need to import wheat and could save foreign exchange," said Chairman of the FOK Endy Priyatna.

This flour can be used to make various types of food, such as cakes, bread, noodles, and meatballs. "In addition to food, cassava can be produced at least 13 derivative products for various purposes. In addition mocaf and liquid sugar, also produced biokerosene and bioethanol," said Endy decipher.

low calorie

Liquid sugar of cassava is now vastly consumed for diet purposes. Liquid sugar low calorie content, making it safe for diabetics and those with low-sugar diet.

According to Endy, FOK pioneered small industries to apply the technology of making mocaf. It is now marketed mocaf 25 tons of flour every day for various purposes. This flour among other traders in demand noodles and bread as it is cheaper than wheat flour.

Currently, 85 percent of cassava is processed into starch, the rest became mocaf. According to Aton, the demand for cassava starch because it can be the raw material for paper. Lately, cassava starch is processed into vitamin C. The vitamin C from the cassava plant was built in Lamongan, East Java.

Mocaf undeveloped because fermentation techniques used have not been able to produce mocaf standard. According to Aton, mocaf still has to compete with wheat flour in the market. Nevertheless, it is important to build self-reliance mocaf.