Alvin Darlanika Soedarjo, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
A local scientist has invented a cheap and simple food preservation technology that works by coating food in ozonated water.
"Vegetables, fruit and even fish can stay fresh longer if they are soaked with ozonated water, which is produced by a special machine," said Anto Tri Sugiharto, an engineer from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), on Friday.
Anto has already patented the ozone water reactor.
"It's a safe method as long as the products are not processed products, such as dried fish or meatballs," Anto said in a press conference here.
The simple technology could replace the use of preservative formaldehyde, which is widely used despite its health effects, Anto said.
Ozonated water is better than formaldehyde, says Anto, because ozone dries into oxygen so there are no chemicals left on the food.
Other methods of preservation, such as high temperatures, require the tools to be sterilized with alcohol.
Preserving food by utilizing high temperatures is also more expensive than ozonated water, which sterilizes the washing tools and food containers.
"Ozonated water is useful for farmers or food retailers. However, it is intended to be used by many farmers instead of individuals," said Anto, who has spent more than a decade studying and researching in Japan.
After food is washed in ozonated water, it is vacuum-wrapped.
The ozonated water also removes bacteria and pesticides from the product, although over use can result in discoloration and a reduction in the natural smell of the food.
LIPI has tested the reactor on tomatoes at the Agricultural Ministry research center in Lembang, West Java.
"The Agricultural Ministry had problem with its vegetables as they were contaminated with pesticides and quickly decayed," Anto said.
The inventor said that LIPI would collaborate with the Agricultural Ministry in order to produce and distribute the machine.
"The ministry can also subsidize the machines for farmers because farmers may not have enough money to make the purchase," he said of reactor, which costs about Rp 7 million (US$765) to assemble.
The machines are now being prepared to be distributed in West Java.
Indah Suksmaningsih, a senior executive from the Indonesian Consumers Foundation, told The Jakarta Post that the usage of ozone might have a bad effect on the climate.
"If not used properly, the ozone might affect global warming," she said.
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