Students of the Genuine Fermentation Club (GFC), Biology Department, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA), Universitas Negeri Semarang (UNNES), conducted an educational visit to Oemah Koro located at Bimardi Park and Farm, Sendangijo Village, Selogiri District, Wonogiri Regency. The activity was carried out in collaboration with Rumah Inovasi Tempe Sekar Sari as part of efforts to develop local food innovation based on fermentation technology.
This program focuses on the utilization of jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis) as an alternative raw material for tempeh and other food products. Jack bean is a legume that has not yet been optimally cultivated in Central Java, despite its high protein content and strong potential to support national food security.
The Professor of Biotechnology at FMIPA UNNES, Prof. Dr. Siti Harnina Bintari, M.S., stated that the development of non-soy tempeh is a strategic step amid increasing dependence on imported soybeans. The use of local food resources such as jack bean is considered a promising solution toward sustainable and independent food systems.
The owner of Oemah Koro, Ms. Sukesti Nuswantari, explained that introducing jack bean as an alternative food source requires continuous education and community engagement. Through various product innovations and entrepreneurship training, jack bean has now become an economically valuable commodity, with processed products such as tempeh and tempeh chips already being produced by the local community.
During the activity, GFC students gained hands-on learning experiences covering jack bean cultivation, fermentation processes, and the transformation of harvested beans into various food products. Besides tempeh, jack bean can also be processed into milk, chips, chili-based products, and ready-to-eat foods. Students also had the opportunity to harvest directly and taste fresh jack bean milk for the first time.
Jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis) is a crop that can grow well in marginal land with low soil fertility and has high resistance to dry environmental conditions. These characteristics make it a potential alternative local food source that is adaptive and sustainable.
The production process of jack bean tempeh involves several steps, including soaking the beans for two days and two nights, boiling and peeling, mixing with tapioca flour and starter culture, followed by fermentation for two days and two nights until it becomes tempeh. The final product can then be further processed into crispy tempeh chips with high market value.
Through this activity, GFC and Rumah Inovasi Tempe Sekar Sari hope to promote local food diversification, increase the added value of agricultural products, and open new opportunities for innovation-based food enterprises in Indonesia. This program also serves as an educational platform for students in applied biotechnology in the food sector.
