Savoring Wellness through Baharat Natural MSG

Indonesian culinary creativity is evident in the ingenious ways various food ingredients are transformed, such as the art of crafting flavoring spices. Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS) students showcase this creativity by combining sweet fresh pineapple with fiber-rich tempe, crafting a healthy alternative flavoring.

Galih Wicaksono, a Biology Education student at UMS, led a team that delved into studying the components found in pineapple and tempe. Their research discovered the potential for these ingredients to be processed into flavorful seasonings.

In 2022, as part of the Student Creativity Program (PKM), Galih observed that the use of MSG (monosodium glutamate) by traders and households often exceeded recommended limits. This observation inspired him to delve deeper into research journals, where he uncovered facts suggesting that excessive MSG consumption could adversely affect health, leading to issues such as obesity and high blood pressure.

“Upon observing our surroundings, I noticed that both traders and households extensively utilize MSG. As I delved into research journals, I found evidence suggesting a tendency to exceed reasonable limits in its usage, posing potential health problems such as obesity,” remarked Galih on Thursday (15/2).

This realization prompted Galih to broaden his perspective and explore alternative flavoring innovations using natural ingredients that could substitute MSG. He assembled a team, including Eriza Putri Ayu Ning Tias, Muhammad Arkan Muhadzib, and Rahmadani Witi Amalia, to conduct further research on natural flavoring alternatives.

After two to three months of research, the team, led by Galih, successfully developed a product named “Baharat.” This innovative product serves as a healthy flavoring option crafted from natural ingredients.

Traditionally, flavorings rely on fermented molasses as primary ingredients. However, in Galih’s innovative approach, these components were substituted with pineapple and tempe, significantly healthier alternatives. Pineapple, a readily available fruit throughout the year, is contrasted with tempe, a protein-rich food easily accessible at an affordable price.

Galih elaborated that the bromelain compound in pineapple is vital in hydrolyzing protein from tempe. This hydrolysis process results in the formation of glutamic acid. They introduce salt or sodium to convert the glutamic acid into monosodium glutamate to complete the process, thus creating their innovative natural flavoring.

"Bromelain in pineapple can break down the protein in tempe into glutamic acid. When combined with sodium, it transforms into monosodium glutamate," explained Galih.

Despite incorporating salt as an additional ingredient to create monosodium glutamate, Galih assures that the sodium content in Baharat products is lower than that of MSG products available on the market. “We exclusively use salt for preservation purposes and to aid in forming monosodium glutamate,” he clarified.

The Baharat product stands out for its health-conscious approach, avoiding the use of any synthetic chemicals. Moreover, the preservative is derived from turmeric, a well-known natural preservative. This thoughtful choice allows Baharat to maintain its quality for up to one month in liquid and six months in powder packaging.

Furthermore, Baharat boasts a notable protein content of 3.83g per 40ml of Baharat MSG. In addition, it contains 43.90 kcal of calories, 0.40g of carbohydrates, and 15.45mg of sodium (Na).

“Baharat boasts high protein content because of tempe. Compared to other MSG products, the protein content in Baharat is significantly higher, thanks to tempe. Additionally, Baharat is crafted with non-GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) ingredients, providing an extra layer of assurance regarding its quality,” further explained Galih.

Baharat is offered in two convenient sizes: 40g packets and 100g bottles, available in both liquid and powder forms. The 40g pack is priced at Rp8.000, while the 100g/100ml pack is available for Rp25.000.

“Currently operating as a home industry, the price might be slightly higher. However, we are optimistic that once we scale up and enter a larger industry, we can reduce the price to make it more affordable,” Galih said.



Baharat, crafted by Galih and his team, has garnered recognition on prestigious stages, participating in local, national, and even international competitions. Following each competition, they actively engage in evaluations and updates to refine their alternative flavoring product. One of the significant challenges faced by Galih was to enhance the product’s shelf life. To address this, he experimented by incorporating turmeric juice. Additionally, they expanded the product range from liquid to powder.

“After the Pimnas event, we embarked on an evaluation process and ventured into creating a new product in powder form, shifting from our initial production in liquid form,” he mentioned.

The myriad of achievements that Galih and the team have made include:

• PKM funding until Pimnas 2022 nomination
• Silver medal ISIF Bali 2022
• P2MW funding 2023
• 3rd place in Krenova Sukoharjo 2023
• Nomination for SM2C KMI EXPO supporting competition 2023
• Gold medal IPITEX 2024

In a remarkable achievement, Galih and his team progressed to the international stage, participating in the Bangkok International Intellectual Property, Invention, Innovation, and Technology Exposition (IPITEX) during Thailand Inventors Day in early February. The event, held from February 2-6, 2024, marked the culmination of their efforts since 2021. During this prestigious event, they secured a gold medal. Undoubtedly, Galih and his team take pride in this outstanding accomplishment, having not only made their university, UMS, proud but also brought recognition to Indonesia on the global stage.

“Alhamdulillah, we are overjoyed to have won the gold medal at Thailand Inventors Day 2024. It feels like our dedicated efforts have been rewarded with this achievement. Moreover, for me personally, this serves as a sweet conclusion to my college journey as I approach graduation,” expressed the eighth-semester student.

Thailand Inventors Day 2024 stands as a prestigious competition uniting innovators from across the globe to showcase their work. The competition features eight categories: health, medical, agricultural, and production manufacturing.

As the organizer of Thailand Inventors Day 2024, IPITEX boasts a network that extends to various parts of the world, including Croatia, India, Qatar, Japan, the United States, and Indonesia. The IPITEX network collaborates with the Indonesian Invention and Innovation Association (INNOPA).

When asked about his plans, Galih expressed his intention to further develop Baharat to captivate market interest. Noting the diverse flavors of MSG available in the market, such as chicken and beef, he envisions conducting more research to expand Baharat with various flavors.

“I want to conduct future research to add flavors similar to existing MSG products in the market, such as beef and chicken,” expressed Galih.

In addition to flavor development, Galih has aspirations to secure additional funding to facilitate the industrial-scale production of Baharat. He dreams of seeing Baharat evolve into a prominent company manufacturing healthy alternative flavorings.

“We also aim to collaborate with the industry to escalate production volumes. Our goal is to establish Baharat as a company,” he concluded.

Writer: Gede Arga Adrian

Editor: Al Habiib Josy Asheva

Translator: Farizal Luqman Majid