UNAIR NEWS – Inspired by the benefits of garlic, Prof. Dr. Ir Annis Catur Adi MSi, lecturer and academician of Faculty of Public Health (FKM) Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR), conducted a research on single fermented garlic. Then, he formulated it with dark chocolate and called it GARCHOC.
Pandemic control
To UNAIR NEWS on Wednesday, January 25, 2023, Prof. Annis said that his research idea was from the phenomenon of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic, he said, forced people to improve their immune systems against viruses. One of them is by taking supplements or herbs.
Apart from supplements or herbal medicine, he continued, boosting immunity can also be done by consuming functional food.
“Functional food is food with superior nutritional content and other health benefits. One of the most superior functional foods is fresh garlic or ordinary fermented garlic called black garlic,” he said.
Prof. Annis said his research was a continuation of community service and PKM activities in Mulyorejo subdistrict, Surabaya which targeted the elderly. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the elderly are at high risk of being affected by dangerous viruses.
“We want the elderly to not only be able to consume it, they can also produce black garlic themselves or in the form of processed GARCHOC. So, we provide education and training and assistance to the elderly,” said Prof. Annis.
Black garlic development
According to Prof. Annis, fresh garlic’s original taste and aroma, which is distinctive and sharp, makes people less likely to consume garlic as a nutritious food. In fact, garlic contains phytochemical compounds that are good for health.
“Black garlic has a sweeter, chewier taste, and the aroma is not as distinctive as onions. Black garlic is more efficacious for health than fresh garlic,” he said.
Even so, some people still don’t like to consume black garlic. So Prof. Annis combines black garlic with dark chocolate, which has more public interest.
“So, dark chocolate combined with black garlic is beneficial for improving the body’s immunity and can be refreshing because it contains theobromine,” he explained.
Prof. Annis packs the product in the form of a small semicircle. Consumers can eat it in one bite making it easier and more comfortable to consume.
Research sustainability
To support the continuation of his research, Prof. Annis has registered GARCHOC’s research to the Institute for Innovation, Journal Development, Publishing, and Intellectual Property Rights (LIPJPHKI) UNAIR since January 23, 2022. Even though the certification is still in the process of being issued, he hopes that his research can benefit society, especially in rural.
“Hopefully, the research technology that I have developed can increase the economic value of food ingredients that are easy to find in the village. Also, giving contributions also nourishes the community through healthy food,” said Prof. Annis. (*)
Author: Dewi Yugi Arti
Editor: Feri Fenoria
