Have you ever thought of the idea of chips made of yellow velvetleaf? This specific type of plant is often considered as weed. However, recently, there has been a group of students turning this so-called weed into a snack named G-Chips. This snack was made by four students from Universitas Dian Nuswantoro (Udinus), and this snack was showcased at the Creanovative Exhibition hosted by the Entrepreneurial Unit at Udinus months prior.
This snack, made of yellow velvetleaf, offers not only the best taste but also various health benefits, including for hearts, blood circulation, digestive systems, and diet. G-Chips were made by four students, including Muhammad Habib Abimanyu, Fadlia Lutfi Laili, Fadhwyrrahmandito Eddsel N., and Meyika Angga Adi N. Furthermore, G-Chips can also be preordered on an Instagram account, gchips_.
Muhammad Habib Abimanyu, the production team chief, explained that the initial idea for G-Chips emerged from the need to utilize yellow velvetleaf plants scattered around Tuntang, Semarang Regency, Central Java. He added that yellow velvetleaf plants had immense potential as an innovative food source. Upon seeing, this potential, the team sought to create something unconventional.
“This specific type of plant is often considered a disposable weed. So, we thought of an idea to turn these plants into something more valuable. Usually, yellow velvetleaf is only used as an ingredient for food,” he explained.
Habib continued that during the production process of G-Chips, the whole team had to be resilient, as yellow velvetleaf plants comprised of water and sap in a huge volume. In processing it, the plant must undergo several steps, including washing, soaking in hot water to reduce the sap quantity, and drying.
Meanwhile, to remove the water content entirely, the yellow velvetleaf will be dried for 15 minutes. As a whole, the production takes an estimated two hours.
“At first, we had to do many trials and errors to make the chips crispier with less oil. Ultimately, we found the perfect way to remove its oil without reducing its crispiness,” he added.
A Solution in Using Yellow Velvetleaf Properly
Habib emphasized that G-Chips also had a mission to uphold environmental sustainability. Currently, G-Chips has received positive reception from various demographics. The production team routinely conducts a testing session and gives free samples.
“By seeing the potential of yellow velvetleaf, we didn’t only create a new product, but also come up with solutions in utilizing abundant resources that haven’t been able to be used optimally,” Habib uttered.
Meanwhile, Fadlia Lutfi Laili, the secretary of the production team, explained several other ingredients used during the production. She also highlighted the importance of maintaining production quality.
Fadlia revealed that G-Chips also offered various health benefits and nutrition for the human body. This includes fiber, which is important for digestive systems, and other nutrition to prevent heart diseases, as well as for dietary purposes.
“We used various basic ingredients, such as flour, eggs, salt, coriander, and turmeric to color the flour. All these ingredients are mixed to create the best taste and texture,” Fadlia uttered. (Humas Udinus/Alex. Foto: Humas Udinus)
