A new innovation has emerged from Diponegoro University (UNDIP) thru research conducted by Rizky Hanifah Putri Herman, a student from the Industrial Chemical Engineering Technology Study Program, Vocational School. Rizky is developing plant oil-based oleogels as an alternative to cocoa butter, which is expensive and limited in availability. In his proposal titled “Characterization of Oleogels from Rice Bran Oil and Palm Oil as a Cocoa Butter Alternative,” he emphasized that dependence on cocoa supply needs to be reduced by introducing new materials that are more economical, stable, and environmentally friendly. This oleogel is expected to address the challenges of the chocolate industry, which requires high-quality raw materials at a more efficient cost.
The oleogel developed by Rizky utilizes a combination of rice bran oil and palm oil. Rice bran oil is known to be rich in natural antioxidants such as oryzanol and tocopherol, while palm oil has the advantage of fat stability. The combination of the two has the potential to produce characteristics similar to cocoa butter, in terms of texture, melting point, and thermal stability, making it suitable for direct application in the food industry, particularly in chocolate production. This research was conducted at the Biotechnology Laboratory of the Vocational School of UNDIP under the guidance of supervising lecturer M. Endy Yulianto, S.T., M.T. According to him, this research aligns with the needs of the national food industry, which is constantly seeking alternative ingredients to remain competitive without sacrificing quality.
Furthermore, Rizky hopes that the results of his research will not only provide academic benefits but also have a real impact on the sustainability of the chocolate industry in Indonesia. With the availability of plant-based cocoa butter alternatives sourced locally, the chocolate industry is expected to reduce its dependence on pure cocoa butter, which is vulnerable to climate change and cocoa plant diseases. Beside reducing production costs, this research is also expected to strengthen UNDIP’s position as a university known for producing practical innovations for society. “Hopefully, this research can make a positive contribution, not only for me academically, but also for the development of the Indonesian chocolate industry,” he said.