Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology said adaptive yeast developed by University of Indonesia (UI) researchers is not just a solution to climate change, but also an expression of empathy for tempe (fermented soybean cake) makers.
“This yeast research, which uses native Indonesian Rhizopus mold, is not just a biological breakthrough, but a form of scientific empathy for tempe makers’ concerns,” the Ministry’s Science and Technology Dissemination and Utilization Director, Yudi Darma, said here on Friday.
He made the statement during a public discussion titled “Nusantara Yeast: From a Piece of Tempe for Food Security” at the Antara Heritage Center (AHC) on Wednesday (September 2).
He explained that yeast plays an important role in making tempe, which has become an inseparable part of Indonesian society.
“Tempeh is not merely a filling food. It is a Nusantara masterpiece representing noble character and cross-generational survival. Its history runs deep, including in the Serat Centhini (1815), where tempe symbolized hospitality, harmony, and nutritional sufficiency for Javanese society,” he said.
However, he added, tempe was once looked down on during the colonial era as a lower-class food. That stigma collapsed in 1965, when Prof. Ko Swan Djien of Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) opened the world’s eyes through tempe fermentation research with US collaborators.
The global medical and nutrition community has since recognized tempeh as a superfood, a superior plant-based protein source rich in immune-boosting antioxidants, cholesterol-lowering properties, and a mainstay for nutritional rehabilitation of children with chronic digestive disorders.
The UI research team, through the Bestari Saintek Program funded by the Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education (LPDP), developed a tempe yeast innovation combining several Rhizopus species.
Bestari Saintek researcher and UI academic Prof. Wellyzar Sjamsuridzal said the yeast research was part of efforts to understand and preserve Indonesia’s microbial biodiversity.
“Tempe yeast is an important part of efforts to utilize Indonesia’s biodiversity to strengthen food security. Through research and collaboration, microorganism diversity can be responsibly developed into innovations that benefit society,” he said.
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Translator: Mecca, Kenzu
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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