Who doesn’t know tempeh (Indonesian traditional food made from soybean)? This is easily found in any stalls. The snack is usually processed fried, boiled (bacem), or cooked as vegetable. The food that is derived from soy bean is indeed very popular with the public. Apart from the good taste, it also contains many substances that are beneficial to health, one of them is antioxidant compound. However, the way of processing tempeh could reduce the antioxidant content.
This condition encouraged Rio Jati Kusuma, Rifka Kumala Dewi, and Nuraini Wahyu Setyaningrum, students of Health Nutrition Science study program, Faculty of Medicine UGM, to find ways of processing tempeh that does not decreases the antioxidant activity. The three young students processed tempeh into yoghurt that they call as tempeghurt.
According to Rio Jati Kusuma, tempeh contains a fairly high antioxidant compound that can counteract free radicals in the body. "In tempeh, there is a fairly high antioxidant compound, about 60%. However, the way of processing it, by frying or boiling, can reduce the level of antioxidant," he explained on Monday (27/9), in the Faculty of Medicine UGM.
Rio mentioned, by processing it into yoghurt tempeh, it can enhance the antioxidant activity. This way of processing can also produce a new antioxidant, which is 3 hydroxiantralinic acid (3-haa), which is more powerful than vitamin E and isoflavon, thus directly neutralizes free radicals and repairs damaged liver. "In addition to counteract free radicals, it can also reduce the level of liver damage," he said.
The idea of tempeh utilization into yoghurt was originated over concerns of the three young men to the problem of liver damage disease. One of the causes of liver damage is uncontrolled consumption of paracetamol. "Paracetamol is one type of anti-fever drug that is very easy to obtain and widely consumed by the public. However, not many people know the proper dose that they should take. Chronically, uncontrolled use will impact on acute liver tissue damage,” Rio explained.
The research that started from the Student Creativity Program was conducted to determine the effect of yoghurt tempeh to the number of SGPT (Serum glutamic Pyruvate transaminase) and SGOT (serum glutamic transaminase Oxaloacetic) in the liver after it was tested in wistar strain mice. Both of them are enzymes in the liver the amount of which will increase if the liver is damaged. "This study is tested on 24 rats of wistar strain aged two months with the average weight of 100-150 grams," said Rio.
Conveyed by Nuraini Wahyu, the 24 rats were divided into four groups, namely group that received standard diet and 2 grams of tempeghurt, the group that received standard diet and 4 grams of tempeghurt, the group that received standard diet and 8 grams of tempeghurt, and the group that only received a standard diet without tempeghurt (negative control). The four groups were given paracetamol orally to cause liver damage. "The dose of paracetamol given is as many as 2,000 mg/kg body weight of rats. The treatment was carried out for three weeks," Nuraini explained.
From the results of the rats’ experiment that were given preferential treatment of tempeghurt addition, it is known that the increase of SGOT and SGPT enzymes is lower. "It is recognized that SGOT and SGPT enzymes can go down to 50%. So, it could be concluded that we could reduce liver damage with tempeghurt, "said the student of 2007 class.
Rifka Kumala Dewi added that the material used for tempeghurt includes 1 kg of tempeh, 3 liters of water, granulated sugar as much as 5%, 2% skim milk and yoghurt starter: Lactobacillus bulgaricus and streptococous thermophilus 2% respectively. Making tempeh yogurt is quite easy. First, tempeh is washed and boiled for 10 minutes. Furthermore, tempeh is blended and filtered to obtain its essence. The essence is mixed with sugar and skim milk and cooked to boil and cool. The mixture is given yoghurt bacteria and incubated at a temperature of 42 degrees Celsius for 8 hours. "An amount of 90 grams of tempeh can produce 600 milliliters of tempeh yogurt that can hold up to 1 week if stored in the refrigerator. The yoghurt produced has similar characteristics to milk yogurt, but slightly more diluted. It was also slightly more acidic," he explained.
The result of this research has indeed been tested on animals. So, it is possible in the future to be comsumed by human. "In theory, this tempeghurt is safe for human consumption. However, further research still needs to be done to find out its contents," said the girl from Magelang.