Food is the daily necessity that determines the quality of life of the nation. However not everyone gives serious attention to the number and combination especially of the quality of food they consume. For most people, food is consumed because you want it rather than need it.
Meanwhile, the body and all daily activities demand fulfillment of certain nutrients. If we only consume food based on our appetite, certainly we will experience shortage or excess of nutrients from the food consumed.
"Therefore, the knowledge of body’s need for nutrition is very important to prepare a cuisine that will be consumed," said Chairman of the Center for Traditional Food Studies, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), Dr. Ir. Eni Harmayani, MSc, Monday (6/12) in the Training "Consumption of Healthy Food for All".
Delicious food, Eni said, apparently can reduce or eliminate nutrients from the food that is processed. Besides, during cooking, ingredients such as coloring, thickeners, and others are often added to add flavor or appeal.
Therefore, Eni reminds that the use of food additives must ensure that consumers stay healthy. Therefore, other aspect should also be considered, such as hygiene in preparing and serving food. "For example in school canteens and food stalls, students who consume food at this place need to get attention to guarantee the food hygiene," she explained.
To provide knowledge about Indonesian food quality and variety, the Center for Traditional Food Studies, Universitas Gadjah Mada in cooperation with the Department of Education, Youth and Sports of Yogyakarta Province holds training entitled CONSUMPTION of HEALTHY FOOD for ALL. The training also aims to provide knowledge about appropriate food management that is suitable with 3BA rules (Nutritious, Diverse, Balanced and Safe). It will be held at the Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Universitas Gadjah Mada from 9-11 December 2010.
Based on the plan, as many as 43 participants will take part in this training. They are the teachers from elementary to high schools, vocational schools (RSBI) throughout Yogyakarta. "The teachers who follow this training are expected to transfer knowledge to students and surrounding community to produce healthy young generation," she said.
For those who will establish school cafeteria and the right operation of food processing industry, some materials have been prepared including knowledge about choosing and storing food, cooking and Nutritional Value of Food, as well as materials about the needs of daily nutritional intake and formulating family menu. Other materials are about the packaging of food and serving of Indonesian cuisine, good organization of the school canteen, food halal and prohibition regulations, food additives, as well as food safety and food poisoning.
Besides Prof. Suwarsih Madya, PhD (Professor of Yogyakarta State University), there are also Prof. Dr. Ir Murdiati Gardjito (UGM local food and food security expert), Prof. Dr. Ir. Umar Santosa (MUI chairman of Yogyakarta), Prof. Dr. Ir. Sri Anggrahini MS (Professor of Faculty of Agricultural Technology), Dr. Ir. Eni Harmayani, Dr. Ir. Retno Indrati MSc, Dr. Ir. Agnes Murdiati MS, Dr. Ir. Soeparmo and Ir Sri Kanoni MS. (lecturers of Faculty of Agricultural Technology UGM). At the end of the training, teachers of RSBI of Yogyakarta Province visited a pilot school canteen in GAMA High School and two household food industries that have implemented green production process, namely Risa and Warung 99.