The Improvement of Protein Content by the Use of Dried Fish Meal of Oreochromis niloticus in Tempeh as Aquaculture Product Diversification for Sustainable Aquaculture

Abstract

The consumption of freshwater fish such as tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) is favored by most Indonesian society, especially in Kabupaten Magelang, Central Java. Mungkid, a village in Magelang which is one of the places that was developed as a Minapolitan. This study is aimed to support the development of aquaculture product diversification, especially tilapia fish as a flagship product in the area. The farmed tilapia fish were used as a source of animal protein for a variety of fermented food products; one of them is tempeh. The utilization of dried fish meal as a mixture in the production of tempeh was assessed in the laboratory for the best concentration to improve the protein substance. Several procedures were carried out, including making dried fish meal/fish flour, fermentation of boiled soybean, incubation of mixed fish flour and soybean, and the measurement of water, protein, fat, ashes, and carbohydrate. After the process of incubation in the room tempehrature (27oC) for 48 hours, the mixing of fish flour and soybean in tempeh fermentation produced the fish tempeh. Organoleptic test was also conducted for the taste and physical performance. The result showed that 3 % fish flour is the best concentration for making fish tempeh. At this mixture, the contents of water, protein, fat, ash, and carbohydrate in fish tempeh were 17.4%, 26,62%, 6,78%, 1,6%, and 47,6% respectively. The optimum growth of fish tempeh was then applied by workshop/training activities. These activites involved academicians of Poltiteknik Magelang, fish farming group of Mungkid and Muntilan districts, and groups of “Dharma Wanita” of Magelang Regency.