Nanofiber Application for Survival Food to Help Save Disaster Victims

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PKMPE
KMPE team is conducting a nanofiber application process in the laboratory. (Photo: Courtesy)

UNAIR NEWS – Natural disasters are extreme, sudden events caused by environmental factors that injure people, damage property, and psychological impacts.

Based on its geographical location, Indonesia is a country prone to natural disasters. Since the end of July 2018 to April 2019, Indonesia has faced various disasters which have caused thousands of lives to be lost. Starting from an earthquake in Lombok, earthquake and tsunami in Donggala, flash floods in North Sumatra, Sunda Strait tsunami due to the eruption of Anak Krakatau and earthquake in Central Sulawesi that had tsunami potential.

Based on these problems, Universitas Airlangga students of  Science and Technology Faculty (FST) initiated a research idea entitled “Nanotechnology Applications in Survival Food as an Effort to Increase the Survival of Disaster Victims.” It is Ningsih Putri Herman (2017) and Melly Octaviany (2016) who collaborated with the Faculty of Nursing (FKp) student Tya Wahyun Kurniawati (2017) under the guidance of Ms. Nita Citraari, S.Si., M.T.  

As the team leader, Ningsih said that the research idea was compiled into a proposal for  Student Creativity Program in the Field of Examination (PKM-PE) and successfully passed the funding selection for the Ministry of Research and Technology in 2018-2019. The research, he explained, was triggered due to the incident of the victim who had been evacuated after more than three days drinking his urine.

“That’s why there must be a food that is easy to carry for disaster victims,” ​​he said.

Not only that, Ningsih also said that the application of Nanotechnology in  Survival Food was in the form of nanofiber synthesized from Sodium Alginate and PVA using Electrospinning method. Nanofiber in Survival Food as an additional fiber so it can increase satiety and absorption of food in the body.  

“Survival Food in this study consists of foods that contain lots of calories such as sago, chocolate, and honey,” he said.  

Adding Ningsih’s statement, Tya as a member of this study also said that the reason for choosing the main ingredient was due to high nutrition and the special content needed by disaster victims.

“Survival Food is expected to reduce the mortality rate by fulfilling and regulating energy intake, increasing satiety, reducing anxiety/trauma, and increasing immunity to victims of natural disasters in the long term,” he concluded.  

Author: PKMPE TEAM “Nanotechnology Application in Survival Food as an Effort to Increase the Survival of Disaster Victims”  

Editor: Nuri Hermawan

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