UNAIR NEWS – From the skillful hands of five Faculty of Public Health (FKM) students of Universitas Airlangga, mango seeds ( Javanese: pelok) which are usually useless, can be used as flour and then processed into Mie Jelly (Mielly).

These nutritious snacks are rich in carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and calcium, prepared without the use of artificial preservatives and sweeteners. Mielly is expected to be a new alternative to light snacks that can be consumed by children or adults.

The five undergraduate students of FKM UNAIR, Maharani Dyah Pertiwi (2016) as the team leader, Armita Mayang Sari (2016), Natasya Putri Audiena (2016), Ana Mariatul Ulfa (2016), Khusnatul Mar’atik (2015) wanted to help create a new healthy snack that can be a solution to the current concerns.

Explained by Maharani DP, as the head of the Entrepreneurship Student Creativity Program (PKMK) FKM UNAIR team, currently in the market there are still many unhealthy snacks, which of course presents its own concern for everyone, especially the parents who still have children at school. With the high level of public consumption is exploited by irresponsible people who sell non-healthy food with preservatives, harmful dyes, etc.

Snack “Mielly” in the grip of a child. (Photo by courtesy)

The idea related to healthy snacks is conveyed in a PKMK proposal entitled “Utilization of Mango Seed Flour for ‘MIELLY’ (Mie Jelly) as Healthy Snacks Improving Nutrition of Children”. This proposal has successfully passed a selection and received development fund from Kemenristekdikti on PKM program in 2017.

Added by Maharani, Mielly tangible jelly is expected to attract attention, especially children who tend to like sweet foods such as jelly. Therefore Mielly presented with various colors and with funny shapes. It is expected to attract children and make them willing to try.

“Until now more than 250 Mielly are sold,” said Maharani.

In the future, PKMK team will continue to innovate developing Mielly, both in shape, color, including the taste without reducing the nutritional content in it. But our main target with Mielly is to reduce public unrest especially from mothers who want to provide healthy snack for their children consumption,” Maharani said. (*)

Editor: Bambang Bes