Sago Rice as an Environmentally Sustainable Food

Research Center for Agroindustry, National Research and Innovation Agency, Cibinong, Bogor, Indonesia

^1* Corresponding author: widy010@brin.go.id

Abstract

Sago rice is artificial rice made from sago starch and others flour by extrusion process. This study aims to recommend the sustainability of sago rice as a staple food to deal with climate change by utilizing technology to explore and innovate the sago palm. Sago rice has the potential for economic, social, and environmental sustainability. Regarding social sustainability, sago rice can be processed from a mixture of sago starch and several other local flours, including brown rice flour, corn flour, red bean flour, and black rice flour, producing healthy food that tastes similar to rice and is acceptable to consumers. The four formulations of sago rice have gelatinization properties and textures that are similar to rice and are acceptable to consumers. The starch gelatinization properties were, namely, peak viscosity, breakdown viscosity, setback, and final viscosity, 1384–3234 cP, 684–1380 cP, 1071–2704 cP, and 371–850 cP, respectively. The texture of sago rice with hardness ranged from 3759.665–5003.699 g/f, and the stickiness ranged from 773.527–1038.35 g/f. Based on the social aspect, sago rice can be used for staple food reserves other than rice, healthy food, and supporting sustainable development.