IPB University Researcher Highlights Kimpul’s Potential as a Functional Food

RRI.CO.ID, Bogor - Kimpul tubers have significant potential to be developed as a local food commodity. The crop is easy to cultivate, can be grown as an intercrop, and requires relatively simple processing.

Kimpul is an easy-to-grow tuber commonly found across the Indonesian archipelago. In various parts of Indonesia, it is also known as talas Belitung, mbote, bentul, genjlong, or bothe.

Professor from IPB University’s Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Titi Candra Sunarti, said kimpul had the potential to be developed into functional food products and used as a raw material for gluten-free foods.

“Kimpul is easy to grow and does not require special land. It can also be grown as an intercrop because it does not grow very tall. It is simple to prepare; it can be boiled or steamed and consumed directly,” said Titi Candra Sunarti on Sunday, September 20, 2026.

Titi explained that kimpul resembles taro, although the two are different plants.

The differences can be identified, among other things, from the characteristics of their leaves and tubers. In kimpul, the main tuber can produce more than one daughter tuber on a single plant, while taro generally produces only one corm.

According to her, ease of processing is one of kimpul’s advantages. The tuber can be consumed as a staple food or processed into various products, including potato-style patties, chips, and flour.

However, broader utilization requires greater public understanding of the commodity’s different names. In some regions, kimpul is known as belitung or talas Belitung.

From a nutritional perspective, Titi said tubers generally contain less protein and fat than cereals, making them unsuitable as the sole source of nutrients. Therefore, kimpul consumption should still be complemented by protein sources and other foods to ensure a more balanced nutritional intake.

Nevertheless, kimpul has potential as a food with functional characteristics. Its carbohydrate content serves not only as a source of energy but may also help provide a longer-lasting feeling of fullness.

“This characteristic means kimpul has the potential to be incorporated into dietary patterns that take blood sugar control into consideration,” she said.

Titi explained that kimpul still contains oxalic acid, but in relatively small amounts compared with other types of tubers, meaning it does not cause an itchy sensation in the mouth. “It does contain oxalate, but only in small amounts. Therefore, it does not cause itching in the mouth,” she said.

She explained that in certain tubers, oxalate can take the form of needle-like crystals that cause itching. The compound can be reduced through treatments such as soaking in salt water or limewater, followed by cooking.

The potential for developing kimpul, she continued, would increase if it were directed toward specialty food products, including gluten-free foods.

“If there is excess production, the tubers can then be processed into flour. That flour can subsequently be used as an ingredient in various food products,” she said.

However, such development requires support from the processing industry and a sustainable supply of raw materials. According to Titi, local food diversification has so far faced obstacles because the tuber-based flour industry has not developed on the same scale as the wheat flour industry.

For this reason, strengthening the supply chain, standardizing raw materials, and developing products will be key to ensuring that kimpul becomes not merely a local food but also a high-value economic commodity. (Annaila Azzahra-EN)