Can Fish Milk Solve Indonesia's Dairy Shortage? Exploring the Potential for School Lunches
- yanabijoor
- Nov 26, 2024
- 2 min read
What’s the problem?
Indonesia has a domestic shortage of cows and dairy products. As a result, it does not have enough milk to provide programs like school lunches. Official data from Indonesia shows that domestic fresh cow milk production can supply only around 22.7 percent of the country’s needs, and the rest must be imported.
What’s the solution?
Indonesia’s solution is “fish milk,” a protein-rich powder made from fish roe. The powder is then made into a liquid and flavored to hide its “fishy” origins. The powder can be processed into a drink mixed with strawberries or chocolate for school lunch programs and other markets.
Why is this innovative?
1. Resource Utilization: Indonesia uses abundant local resources (fish) to address a shortage (cow milk) to meet nutritional needs.
2. Industry Potential: With government support, fish milk can become a multibillion-dollar industry with 200,000 jobs to address the country’s economic and nutritional challenges.
3. Scientific Innovation: Indonesia can devise unique chemical processes to extract and neutralize fish proteins.
What’s the impact?
If successful, the fish milk industry can be worth around $4.5 billion and create many jobs, transforming the local economy. Fish milk appears to have cognitive and heart health benefits, including omega-3 and protein for brain development and heart health. Fish milk can become a new source of nutrition for schoolchildren and pregnant women to address nutritional challenges.
Supporters also point out that fish milk can be an environmentally friendly alternative to cow’s milk, which requires more production resources and significantly impacts the environment.
On its website, fish milk manufacturer Forayya says the product provides essential amino acids and natural Omega-3 and Omega-6 to support brain development and enhance memory, concentration, and cognitive intelligence.
What needs to be improved?
Many consumers dislike the fishy smell and taste of ultra-processed food. Manufacturers need to improve these qualities without adding sugar or artificial flavors. Skeptics question whether this is a nutritional intervention or a political gimmick, while others worry about allergens. Critics also say boosting domestic cow production or importing milk is more efficient than creating a new industry.
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