YOGYAKARTA- Dangke is a dairy product in form of soft cheese that is produced without fermentation. It is a special food from Enrekang regency, South Sulawesi. The amount of milk which is processed to become dangke in the area reaches 6,000 liters per day. Meanwhile, whey dangke is a by-product of dangke processing amounting to 3,600 liters per day and is generally thrown away.
Treatment of whey dangke is very necessary nowadays. This is based on the daily amount of whey which is very much and has not been utilized. It is also to prevent wider environmental pollution caused by direct discharge into the environment without prior treatment.
"Up to now none of studies and scientific information has been done about the characteristics of whey dangke obtained from dangke processing and utilization," Fatma, S.Pt., M.P said in an open examination of her graduate program in Faculty of Animal Sciences UGM on Tuesday (7/2). At the open examination, Fatma presented her dissertation entitled Potential Development of Whey Dangke to be Made Functional Drink.
Fatma explained that the current whey dangke can be processed into various products, one of which is fermented beverage. The product is quite liked by the community and has high selling price. Meanwhile, the nutritional component of whey from dangke processing can be utilized by bacteria as a nutritional source of growth.
"Whey dangke making to be functional beverage has potential," the lecturer of University of Hasanuddin said.
Characteristics and quality of fermented whey beverage is determined by the level of inoculum and incubation time in Lactobacillus acidophilus FNCC 0051 in fermentation process. That variable needs to be analyzed in order to achieve the best activity of L.acidhopilus FNCC 0051 in the product.
On the other hand, the utilization of whey dangke is hampered by the low content of total solid of whey (approximately 6%). Fatma assessed the condition that causes the product of fermented beverages made from whey dangke will be more watery than the commercial fermented milk products, so it will affect the quality and characteristics of the product.
"Therefore, the optimization of fermentation condition (inoculum level, the level of tapioca and incubation time) of whey dangke as beverage needs to be studied using response surface methodology (RSM)," she said.
Fatma also confirmed other important things to consider in the making of fermented whey beverage, namely the addition of sucrose. This is to improve consumer acceptance of products and product suitability to become an environment for probiotic microorganisms that provide health benefits to consumers.
Based on the condition, Fatma conducted research in the potential and characteristics of whey dangke as by-product of dangke processing. Whey is further processed into a fermented beverage product using Lactobacillus acidophilus FNCC 0051.
"With the RSM method and product development by adding sucrose, it is expected to improve quality and potential as a functional beverage," Fatma said.
After defending her dissertation in front of the board of examiners led by Dean Faculty of Animal Sciences, Prof. Dr. Ir. Tri Yuwanta, SU., DEA, Fatma finally graduated cum laude. With the result, Fatma is the 54th doctor graduating from Faculty of Animal Sciences and the 1577th doctor from UGM.