Termites chewing ala IPB

Inter-University (PAU) Bogor Agricultural University (IPB) managed to generate a new product in the kind of sweets made of dry wood termites.

This discovery appeared to eliminate the impression that the animal is not always disastrous for humans because ulahnya undermined in a few buildings & wooden buildings.

With the composition of the nutrients contained in the usual insect pests thought about this destroyer, accompanied by the addition of various ways of making & aroma, sure sweet is going mainstream society, says professional termite IPB, Prof. Dr. Ir Dodi Nadika Thursday.

Based on research, it is known that the dry wood termite Cryptotermes `light` cepphalus cyno-containing protein that is high at around 14.2 percent of wet body weight, or 55.7 percent of the dry weight of the body.

On the basis of potential nutrients that have these types of termites, & supported by the fact that in some rural areas of this type usually consumed by termites of society, then promote the PAU-IPB trying to seek the benefits of termites.

In addition, they said, this type of termites also contain carbohydrates & fats ten.2 percent against 25.2 percent dry weight of the body.

"Termites do not hostility, but made friends & used," they continued.

The choice of sweet as a commodity that made products that take advantage of termites, according to him, because these foods are preferred include the whole society.

"Only the most candies of this type were imported from several countries. There is a actual sweet made in the country, but to date no has matched the quality of foreign products, in taste & texture," they said.

Of the various types of sweet on the market today, there's products typical type of sweet that was fascinating & are the type of jelly sweet made from fruit juice.

"Based on this & thought it would be pulled up if it can be kind of sweet that is enriched with nutrients in the kind of the protein termites," they said.

It is encouraging consumers tend to prefer imported products, although expensive.

Making sweet is not difficult protein termites. What ought to be done is to make protein concentrates & formulations of making sweet. The method of making protein concentrates begins with the destruction of the termite's body, followed by separation of the protein through pH regulation & deposition method.

Making It Hard

According to Dodi, sweet termites successfully created the PAU-IPB is attractive appearance, not only because of the shape & size are diverse & distinctive, but also because of its made merrier.

Protein concentrates are mixed with HFS (high fruktoa syrup) & then cooked at a temperature of 70-100 degrees Celsius. "To this mixture is added gelatin, & then performed the removal of the foam, refrigeration & printing," they said.

It was even be tailored to consumer tastes or market demand. "The smell of the native termites as the base material can be controlled through the addition of` flavoring agent, "he continued.

It is said, the use of termites in to the sweet is obviously attractive. Not only because it can support efforts to control wood destroying pests, but also because it is a value added method.
Destroyer of organisms that are not economically valuable, converted in to food that is nourishing & attractive, so appropriate for middle to upper consumers.

Only, the challenge now, is prepared for cultivating termites on a commercial scale, according to Dodi Nadika.