This year, this annual event by Microbiology Study Program carry a theme “Tropical Vibes” because the fermentation was conducted on food and beverages at tropical places. This year’s series not only displayed fermented food and beverages, but also presented an exhibition about microbiology science, mini laboratory, and fermented-products-filled aisle.

Displayed food and beverages were, for example, yogurt, kombucha, tape ketan, vecasa, corn yogurt, cilak, ciber, tape singkong, tape koro, and fermented coffee. If sambal is usually made by mixing chili with seasonings, fermented vecasa created by microbiology students is made differently. Vecasa is an acronym for verde calianta salsa, the latin name for habanero. The spiciness and sourness come from the fermentation of habanero and seasonings done by microorganism. Not only it has distinct taste, it also gives health benefit to the body compared to usual sambal.

Besides vecasa, there are other unique fermented products such as tempe koro. If tempe is usually made from soybean, tempe koro is made from fermented koro nuts. It is more tasteful than that of soybean because koro nuts taste stronger than soybean.

“Event like this is good and educating. I am a management student who do not really understand about fermentation process. But with event like Fermentation, my insight on fermented food and beverages is uplifted because the displayed fermented products are quite unique.” Said Sarah Sakinah.