Doctoral Service Team Universitas Brawijaya (UB) collaborates with LPPM Thematic Community Service Program Universitas Brawijaya to carry out community empowerment activities through product development in the form of dragon fruit crackers, dragon fruit dodol, dragon fruit jelly candy, and dragon fruit peel tea in Seneporejo Village, Banyuwangi Regency.
The village, which consists of Dusun Krajan and Dusun Silirkombang, has natural resources potential for dragon fruit commodities, especially in subgrade types.
The quality of subgrade dragon fruit has a dark red skin, and all over the skin there are slightly withered tufts which are considered as dragon scales with bright colors. Subgrade dragon fruit has a difference in size that affects the weight of the fruit. In general, dragon fruit weighs 250-500 grams, while subgrade dragon fruit weighs under 250 grams with a small size.
The empowerment activity, which was attended by Pokdarwis in Seneporejo Village, led by Khudrotin, was carried out to provide a formulation in the form of a recipe for making subgrade dragon fruit processed products with simple tools and materials.
The processed form of dry food was chosen as an alternative because it has a long shelf life so it is not easily expired. The drying process was chosen as a preservation effort by utilizing heat to reduce the water content in the material.
It is hoped that this activity will be able to help the economy of the local village community and slightly cover the losses of farmers due to the fruit produced having a small size so that they can make processed products independently.
Community Service Activities (PKM) chaired by Dr. Rer. Nat. Ir. Arief Rachmansyah from the Faculty of Engineering assisted by Dr. eng. Evi Kurniati, STP, MT (FIA), Tita Widjayanti, S.P., M.Sc. (FP), Devi Farah Azizah, S.Sos., M.AB. (FIA), Vindhya T. Widayanti, S.TP., M.P. (FTP).
The technical guidance activities for subgrade dragon fruit products were guided by Vindhya T. Widayanti, S.TP., M.P. with competence in processing technology as well as implementation for the development of recipes or product formulations.
After the technical guidance, it is followed by mentoring followed by direct practice of making products according to the modules that have been distributed previously.
The role of students is directly related to the manufacture of products, especially in the preparation of tools and materials to the formulation of materials according to the dose so that the results obtained can be appropriate.
The success achieved in the Doctoral Service Program activities focuses on subgrade dragon fruit so that partners can improve the economy and reduce waste produced by subgrade dragon fruit.
In addition, the resulting product can also be a superior product of Seneporejo Village and can be commercialized to the market.
This activity can also be an economic support for the community, especially mothers to fill their spare time with useful activities and can improve skills to be able to innovate and be more creative. [Humas UB/ Trans. Iir]
