Local Corn Goes Upmarket! UNISA Yogyakarta Creates Nutrient-Rich Cornghurt to Support Prosperous Farmers
A team of researchers from the Biotechnology Study Program of Universitas ‘Aisyiyah (UNISA) Yogyakarta has created an amazing food innovation that makes your stomach happy. Just imagine, sweet corn, which is usually boiled or roasted, is now transformed into probiotic yogurt called “Cornghurt”. This product is not just ordinary yogurt, but also a fun solution for those who are allergic to milk or averse to animal products.
Two researchers who are lecturers at UNISA Yogyakarta’s Biotechnology program, Nosa and Annisa, revealed that “Cornghurt” is an answer to the public’s need for functional food that is both delicious and healthy for digestion. Its main advantage? Of course, it’s made from sweet corn, not milk! So, for those who are lactose intolerant and allergic to dairy products, now you can still enjoy the benefits of yogurt.
The process of making “Cornghurt” is similar to making traditional yogurt, through fermentation. The difference is that the main raw material is sweet corn which is fermented using selected probiotic bacterial cultures. What’s more, the probiotic bacteria isolate used is the result of the “own work” of the UNISA Yogyakarta research team that has been developed since 2018. Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strain AS4, which was isolated from breast milk in 2018 through Kemenristekdikti funding, is the main star in this Cornghurt fermentation. This innovation clearly utilizes the local potential of sweet corn as Indonesia’s leading commodity while answering the challenges of the need for lactose-free products from animal protein.
The head of the research team, Nosa, enthusiastically explained that “Cornghurt” has a high content of lactic acid, protein, and antibacterial activity. This combination is excellent for maintaining the balance of the gut microflora.
“We want to present a healthy product that can be enjoyed by everyone, including those who have problems with lactose and animal product allergies,” he said in an official statement on Thursday (17/04).
When it comes to taste, don’t worry! “Cornghurt” has a distinctive flavor that is not too sour, instead it tends to be naturally sweet because of the sweet corn base. The texture is also soft, so it is favored by various age groups. The laboratory test results further confirmed “Cornghurt” as a strong candidate to be developed into a commercial functional food product with high added value.
With the support of Fundamental Research funding for Research-Mu in 2025, this innovation is expected to become a foothold for the development of healthier and high-value local fermented processed products. Of course, this will also support innovation-based food security and empower local corn farmers. The economic potential of “Cornghurt” is also very large, along with increasing public awareness of the importance of healthy food. In the future, the Unisa research team plans to collaborate with industry to mass produce “Cornghurt” and reach a wider market. “Cornghurt” comes as a local solution that prioritizes nutrition, sustainability and innovation.
