Malang – Amidst declining public interest in local food, students of Universitas Negeri Malang (UM) have introduced a creative breakthrough with an arrowroot-based cookie product named GANNY BITE. This innovation was developed by 2023 batch Bachelor of Biology Education students from the Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA) UM, as an effort to revive the potential of local food that has begun to be overlooked.
The product originated from the Biology Education for Sustainable Development course, taught by Prof. Dr. Hadi Suwono, M.Si., and Dr. Sueb, M.Kes. Through a contextual learning-based project, students were encouraged to provide tangible solutions to issues of food security and sustainability.
The development of GANNY BITE was carried out by Group 3 Offering C, consisting of Arni Tri Habsari, Dwi Ainun Najah, Luthfi Salsa Dewi, Muhammad Dul Firdaus, and Nayla Salsabila Ramadhani. They chose arrowroot as the main ingredient because this local commodity is increasingly underutilized by the community, despite its significant nutritional value and economic potential.
The team leader, Muhammad Dul Firdaus, stated that the product was designed to enable local food to compete with modern snacks favored by the younger generation.
“Through this product, we aim to demonstrate that local foods like arrowroot can be processed into attractive modern products with market potential,” he said when interviewed by the UM Public Relations Team on Monday, May 18.
Unlike traditional processed foods, GANNY BITE is packaged as practical, modern cookies with a taste that appeals to young people. This innovation also serves as a step towards revitalizing local food to add value and create new business opportunities.
During the development process, students did not only focus on production. They also conducted field observations, interviews with arrowroot farmers, literature studies, and problem mapping related to the low utilization of the plant.
Exploration results indicated that arrowroot cultivation continues to decline due to limited public knowledge regarding product processing and the low selling price of the commodity. These findings then formed the basis for the development of GANNY BITE as an innovative, sustainability-based local food product.
To test product quality, the team conducted an organoleptic test on 46 respondents. The results showed that the majority of respondents gave positive feedback, especially on the taste and aroma of the arrowroot flour-based cookies.
“This activity greatly broadened our horizons, showing that biology education is not just about theory, but can also be directly linked to issues of food, economy, and sustainability,” Firdaus added.
Not stopping at the research stage, students also introduced the product, marketed it, and conducted simple commercialization within the community. This step was part of the experiential learning method applied in their studies.
After completing product research and development, students continued the project by designing learning implementation in schools. The program was carried out at SMAN 1 Kepanjen on Monday, May 18, 2026, as a medium for contextual learning on food security and sustainable development.
Through this project, students not only produced science-based innovations but also honed their collaboration, communication, problem-solving, and sustainability competencies. The presence of GANNY BITE also supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 2 on Zero Hunger, SDG 8 on Decent Work and Economic Growth, and SDG 12 on Responsible Consumption and Production.
This innovation serves as a tangible example of the implementation of biology education that is applicable and has a direct impact on the community. Moving forward, GANNY BITE still has the potential for further development in terms of product quality, packaging design, marketing strategies, and as a medium for local food education in schools.
Editor: Muhammad Salmanudin Hafizh Shobirin – UM Public Relations