Dr Jurry
KOTA KINABALU: The innovation undertaken by a group of Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) experts to help the local community produce Serunding Kubis (cabbage floss) has gained national recognition.
The head of the research group, Dr Jurry Foo, said that his group was announced the recipient of the gold medal award for the ‘Preparation and marketing of cabbage floss’ project, an initiative to help Ranau residents face the issue of vegetable dumping during the Movement Control Order (PKP) 1.0.
Cabbage floss.
Dr Jurry said that at that time, limited movement caused farmers to face the challenge of marketing vegetables to markets outside the district and they could only depend on local buyers.
He disclosed that cabbage was a vegetable that was severly affected and caused famers as well as businessmen to suffer losses as well as vegetable wastage.
“Out of concern for the fate of the local community, UMS through the Research and Innovation Center (now known as the UMS Research Management Center) launched the Covid-19 research fund to help the community,” he said.
Dr Jurry said this when contacted by reporters regarding the recognition obtained through virtual participation in the National Innovation and Invention Competition Through Exhibition (iCompEx) 2021 organized by Politeknik Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah (POLIMAS).
According to him, the UMS experts involved consisted of a group of researchers from the Social Sciences and Humanities Faculty (FSSK), as well as researchers from the Food Science and Nutrition Faculty (FSMP).
“We took the responsibility to propose some ideas of processing cabbage using existing knowledge and skills in the community to minimize wastage of vegetables. While waiting for the research fund offer from UMS, I conducted an online workshop on how to process vegetables including cabbage in the form of ‘serunding’.
“This was inspired by the method of producing Tuhau serunding which is a popular local food product among the community in Ranau. At the initial stage, this proposal met with general opposition because many people thought that cabbage was not suitable to be made into floss.
“However, a group of pioneering community successfully made the idea a reality with UMS research ideas and recipes,” said Dr Jurry, adding that they were given online guidance.
The UMS Co-Curriculum and Student Development Center director said the cabbage floss is now enjoyed as a side dish and as it has a long shelf life, has an encouraging demand from consumers.
“It is now widely marketed online and can be found on e-commerce platforms such as Shoppee and Lazada.
This Serunding Kubis product can also be found at several local supermarket branches, namely Bataras and Sabindo,” said Dr Jurry.
Commenting further, Jurry who is also a senior lecturer at FSSK, said that continuous research and innovation not only led to continuous improvement of product quality but also enhances the community’s ability as entrepreneurs, thus opening up employment opportunities to affected groups.
“At the same time, can be considered as a tourism product in the future. Therefore, we are confident that the sustainability of the product and the community’s capabilities are guaranteed with the involvement and injection of funds from many parties.
“As the copyright holder of the basic recipe, the pioneer community consisting of entrepreneurs is encouraged to collaborate with other stakeholders,” he said.