EMPOWERMENT OF PEMALANG COASTAL AGROMARITIME: Innovation of Various Processed Foods from Crab By-Products

IPB University lecturers from the Department of Aquatic Product Technology, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences provided training to strengthen innovation, diversification and product development from crab industry by-products in Danasari Village, Pemalang District. The training was carried out in the framework of Lecturers Serving Innovation, IPB University. This activity is a form of community service and was carried out from 16-18 October 2023.

The Head of the IPB University Lecturer Team, Wini Trilaksani, who is also a daughter of the Pemalang region, said that the training was attended by the wives of crab fishermen or working mothers at mini-plants or employees of crab canning companies, who last year were selected and participated in the IPB University community service program “Lecturers Return to the Village”. Participants have now formed the “GIRA SARI” Processing and Marketing Group (POKLAHSAR) with the production of various processed crab products through the guidance of the Fisheries Service, Pemalang Regency.

The training on strengthening innovation, diversification and product development from crab industry by-products was opened by the Head of Business Development and Marketing, Fisheries Service, Era Srinaeni on Monday, October 16, 2023. “Pemalang Regency has had a crab canning industry for more than three decades and is the largest in Indonesia. There are 13 mini-plant crab cooking units involving coastal communities and centralized in Pemalang District”. Mrs. Era further said, “Boiling and peeling are the main activities in the mini-plant, so they produce large amounts of waste and pollute the environment. The community only uses it as animal feed”.

Head of the IPB Lecturer Community Service Team, Wini Trilaksani added that this training was a follow-up to the previous year’s training through the “Lecturers Return to the Village” Program. “We have disseminated knowledge and skills on diversification and product development from crab industry by-products to the community around the mini plant in Danasari Village, Pemalang and they have developed it as a business unit in the form of various processed crab products that we have taught”. “It turns out that business obstacles are still faced, especially packaging and packaging labels and good procedures for processed food production, in order to obtain permits and the feasibility of processed food businesses”, added Wini Trilaksani.

Bambang Riyanto, as a member of the Lecturer Team explained, “to create a business, there needs to be a change in mindset. This series of knowledge and skill improvement activities begins with the delivery of innovation materials followed by practice”. “Innovation materials include handling of crab industry by-products and making calcium-rich flour from crab shells”. Then Bambang Riyanto added, “product development is based on the potential for instant food, snacks, seasonings, nova ingredients and non-food products”. As for the practice of snack innovation, it is developed based on traditional community food (snake tempeh “teraja” and crab vegetable floss “anaraja”), innovation of regional processed products also needs to be touched upon, for example “snake cactus” which is similar to the typical Pemalang snack “ogel ogel” as well as the creation of instant products and seasonings, such as crab cream soup, crab petis and crab sauce”.

Joko Santoso as another member of the Lecturer Team explained, “the practice of making “teraja” crab tempeh is based on the longer shelf life of tempeh chips”. “Tempe chips that are usually produced by the community have weaknesses, including a less crispy texture, easy to soften, and a short shelf life”. “Sago tempeh chips are an alternative modification of soybean tempeh so that the chips have a crispy texture, attractive appearance and a more savory taste. The addition of crab flavor makes it a unique characteristic”. The practice of making “teraja” crab tempeh according to Joko Santoso includes “introduction of ingredients, in the form of tempeh starter (soybeans that have been mixed with yeast) and sago flour as well as marinating ingredients in the form of crab broth, salt and spices. The making includes mixing tempeh starter with sago, molding and fermenting for 2 days. Serving includes slicing and frying”.

Joko Santoso also explained about vegetable shredded meat “anaraja”. “Anaraja is a processed shredded meat using kluwih as the basic ingredient and combined with the use of boiled crab water. Kluwih is a vegetable with a shape similar to jackfruit but with a smaller size, and is abundant in Pemalang”. “Anaraja shredded meat is suitable for vegetarians or those who are allergic and do not eat meat, especially beef which is usually used for making shredded meat. Anaraja has a soft and fibrous texture with a distinctive spice flavor, just like meat shredded meat in general”. “The process includes boiling and slicing kluwih, stir-frying with coconut milk, frying and pressing”, he completed his explanation.

Wini Trilaksani said that Pemalang also has a special food known as ogel-ogel”. “Ogel-Ogel is a special food from Pemalang made from glutinous rice flour, combined with other ingredients, such as sugar, salt, cheese and shaped like a wriggling caterpillar with a special mold”. “The process includes preparing the dough, molding and frying”. “The crab cactus is an innovation in snacks or a substitute for crackers, modified with glue or crab fat and a molding model to make the product resemble crab feet or cactus plants, so it is called the crab cactus”. Iswiyantono as the Head of the “Gira Sari” Poklahsar explained, “the crab cactus is our group’s mainstay processed product”. “Currently, the crab cactus is the largest income for Gira Sari”. “We are still facing obstacles in packaging and packaging labels”. “To get a permit as a processed food production unit, we also have to carry out good processed food production procedures or known as CPPOB, while the conditions of our processing unit do not yet exist”. “This advanced training is expected to provide us with information on how to properly package and label and the requirements for good food processing unit conditions”. Bambang Riyanto, as a member of the Team explained, “actually the regulations already exist, just follow them”. “So, in this training we help create a concept for packaging design and its label”. “And the procedures for good food production are also delivered along with the making of the crab cactus”.