Commission IX Of The House Of Representatives Supports The Discourse Of Fish Milk: But The Term Is More Appropriate For High Nutritionic Drinks

Free Nutrition Food (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - Commission IX of the DPR RI supports the idea of fish milk being proposed to be included in the free nutritious food program of the elected President Prabowo Subianto as a substitute for cow's milk. Even so, Commission IX of the DPR considers it more appropriate if the term is not fish milk, but rather high nutritious drinks because processed fish products cannot be said to be a type of milk.

"We welcome the proposal positively, it is very good. It's just that it is more appropriate to name it or the term is a very high nutritious drink from fish," said Member of Commission IX Arzeti Bilbina, Wednesday, September 11.

Arzeti explained that the naming of fish milk was considered inappropriate by nutritionists because the drink product in question did not come from direct fish nipples as was the case with cows.

"The nutritionists do not agree with the language of fish milk, because the milk comes out of the nipples. While the fish do not, so it is better to use the language of highly nutritious drinks," he explained.

Apart from the naming, Arzeti said the idea of a replacement for cow's milk program was very good. Because susu which comes from this fish has a high and good omega 3 content to support children's intelligence.

"This is a good thing, because the content of fish can support the formation of the golden generation in the future. Fish is a source of quality protein, the omega 3 is high, vitamin and mineral content as well. As well as supporting brain health, maintaining skin health, and making immunity is also very good," said Arzeti.

"In the past, we always bought deep-sea salmon which contained high omega, while the strong cow's milk saturated fat," continued the legislator from East Java I.

Fish milk has actually been developed in Indramayu by having several flavor variants such as vanila, chocolate, and strawberries. This added flavor is intended to increase consumer acceptance, especially children, which are less familiar with the natural taste of fish-based products.

The process of making the fish's own milk begins with the extraction of proteins from fish meat processed through a series of processes, including milling, extraction, and purification to produce a concentrate of fish proteins. These fish protein concentrates are then mixed with a variety of other ingredients to create textures and flavors similar to conventional milk.

The process aims to produce drinks that have a consistency similar to milk but with a different nutritional profile. Indramayu is a pilot project for downstream marine products made from local raw materials, including through fish dairy products.

Therefore Arzeti welcomes the good idea of this drink product from the basic fish material. The idea is also considered to be a solution for children who do not like eating fish.

"It's more practical because children can directly drink it. So there's no more reason that children don't want to eat fish because through processed products into drinks, the taste can be more accepted by children," said Arzeti.

"Even though this is an ultra-process product, yes, but it could be one way for children who don't like fish. And children should be given fish intake because they have quality protein content, it's also good for the eyes," he added.

Fish milk became a hot topic after PT Rajawali Nusantara Indonesia (RNI) or ID Food announced that it was reviewing its use as an alternative to Prabowo's free nutritious eating program.

This alternative is proposed considering that the stock of cow's milk in Indonesia has not been able to meet the needs of the nutritious food program and free milk, which targets 82.9 million people, namely school children, toddlers, and pregnant women. According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture, the current demand for milk in Indonesia reaches 4.3 million tons per year and the contribution of domestic milk to the need for new national milk is around 22.7 percent, the rest is still met from imports.

Even so, the Presidential Palace emphasized that fish milk will not replace cow milk in the free nutritious food program in Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka's cabinet. Currently, the Government does not yet have an official plan to use fish milk in the program.

However, the National Nutrition Agency is said to be open to various ideas from outside parties as long as it has proven effective and can be implemented. Several government figures also support the idea of fish milk.

Indeed, further studies are needed because this fish-consetrate beverage product is relatively new and does not yet have a standard definition in international food standards. So it requires standardization and regulation regarding the composition and manufacturing process," explained Arzeti.

Commission IX of the House of Representatives in charge of health affairs assesses that further research is also needed to pay attention to the safety of fish dairy products. Arzeti reminded that some people, especially children, have congenital allergies to high-protein products such as fish that can trigger serious reactions.

"It should also be noted that there are also allergic factors when consuming drink products from fish. Children who are allergic can cause mild symptoms such as itching to more severe reactions such as anaphylaxis," he said.

"And if this idea is realized for a free meal program, it is very important that there is strict supervision from the National Nutrition Agency to prevent the risk of contamination that could endanger public health, especially children," added Arzeti.

Even so, Arzeti stated that the idea of fish milk is quite good considering that fish have the potential as an alternative source of protein, especially in areas with limited access to cow's milk. Fish is also a source of Indonesia's superior natural wealth.

"We still need clinical trials and further research to ensure safety, effectiveness, and suitability as a substitute for milk in the national nutrition program," he said.

Prabowo's Free Nutrition and Milk Eating Program aims to reduce Indonesia's stunting rate which is quite high at 21.5% in 2023. Stunting is a growth disruption due to lack of nutritional intake for a long time. One that can overcome the stunting problem with increasing fish consumption.

Arzeti said the DPR is ready to provide support if in the end Prabowo's government will accommodate the idea of using fish milk. Moreover, the milk program from this fish has also been carried out by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) together with the Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs (Kemenkop UKM) since 2023 as an effort to encourage downstream fishery products where Indramayu is the pilot project.

However, the Government must be able to ensure that the production, storage and distribution process meets strict security standards. The government also needs to ensure that the high nutritional milk supply can meet program needs throughout Indonesia," Arzeti said.

"No less important, we have to think about the survival of marine ecosystems, especially if the increase in demand for fish milk can cause overfishing and environmental damage," he continued.

The study for the high-strict nutritious beverage program from the fish is also considered necessary in more detail and requires massive socialization to the public. This is because people are not very familiar with consuming beverage products from fish.

"Because this is new, people's acceptance will definitely be different. Moreover, the taste and texture of fish milk is different from cow's milk, if people have difficulty receiving fish milk, this program can lose its effectiveness. So it really needs to be socialized gradually and under the supervision of doctors," explained Arzeti.

Arzeti also asked the Government to conduct periodic evaluations if in the future fish milk is included in the free meal program. Structured monitoring will allow the Government to assess whether this high-strict drink provides comparable or even better benefits compared to cow milk.

"If it is found that high nutritious drinks from fish do not provide optimal results, then adjustments must be made immediately to ensure that the purpose of the program in improving the health of children is still achieved," he explained.

According to Diaz Cartaneda, author of the journal Replacement of Skimmed Milk with Hydrolyzed Fish Protein andatural in Milk Substitutes for Dairy Calves, fish have several advantages over cow's milk. Milk from fish has a high protein content, is allergen-free, easy to digest by the body, and has a higher protein absorption rate of up to 96% compared to cow's milk. In addition, it is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, EPA, and DHA which are essential for brain development and cardiovascular health.

Arzeti also advised fish dairy products to pay attention to the effectiveness of the economy, considering that several current products have been sold in general.

"In the marketplace, there are already fish dairy products that are sold, but the price is still quite high. This must also be a concern so that the products from this fish are not only beneficial for health, but also advancing our real economic sector, including fishermen and MSME actors. BPOM must also be closely monitored," concluded Arzeti.