PkM Innovations Halal Milkfish Floss Products as a Source of High Calcium for the Community

Pangkep, Pangkep Regency is known as one of the aquaculture production centers in South Sulawesi Province with the superior commodity Milkfish (Chanos chanos).

Many Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) have diversified processed milkfish, one of which is Bunda Alif (UMKM) which is located at the Matampa Fish Processing Center in the Fishery Product Processing Industry Home Jalan Poros Makassar – Parepare, Samalewa Village, Bungoro District.

This MSME processes and produces shredded milkfish, but by removing the spines in the fish meat, even though the fish bones contain quite high calcium, amounting to 1384.93 micrograms (ug). Bones with high calcium can be used as an important source of nutrition for society, especially for preventing osteoporosis and improving bone health.

So that production can have high economic value and provide health benefits, lecturers from the Indonesian Muslim University (UMI) are educating the Bunda Alif MSME group through the ProgramCommunity Service (PkM) by providing assistance in product creationhigh in calcium and has a halal certificate.

The PkM team, chaired by Kasmawati, provided this assistance on October 7 2025. Onthe process, assistance begins with the stage of selecting raw materials for fresh Milkfish withthe characteristics of clear eyes, intact and shiny scales and no smell of mud.

“The fish meat and bones are separated, after that the milkfish bones are softened withusing a pressure cooker, while the meat is steamed until cooked. The next stage isfrying process by mixing soft fish bones, milkfish meat, andspices until golden brown and ready to be packaged," said Kasmawati.

During the product creation assistance process, the PkM team also provides motivation andguidance to participants so they can understand each processing stage well, startingfrom softening the bones, mixing the ingredients, to the frying process and final packaging.

Siti Hadijah, one of the team members, explained that shredded milkfish products can be madeaccepted in the modern retail market, then the product must have a halal certificate asguarantee of safety and halalness for consumers (UU No. 33 of 2014, BPJPH).

For this reason, the PKM team is trying to encourage local business actors to improve product qualitywhile preparing the halal certification process. Thus, the product is Shredded Milkfishnot only has high economic value, but also meets safety, quality and standardsnationally recognized halal.

"Through collaboration between academics and MSME players, the skills gained by participants can open up new business opportunities and strengthen the competitiveness of local products, emerging superior regional products that are halal, high quality, and able to lift the economy of the Pangkep community," added Hamsiah, who is also a member of the PkM team.

As a form of business sustainability support, at the end of the activity the UMI PKM Team handed over equipment for processing milkfish floss to the fostered partners.

MSME "Bunda Alif" expressed its appreciation and thanks for the education and assistance with equipment for processing milkfish floss provided by the UMI PkM team.

"Hopefully this activity can empower the community through product innovation based on fisheries products as well as opening up new business opportunities and strengthening the competitiveness of local products which will ultimately improve the community's economy," he said.

It is hoped that this activity can increase production capacity and strengthen the economy of the coastal communities of Pangkep Regency. (*)