| Summary: | Tempe is an Indonesian traditional food, especially for the Javanese, and is made
from soybeans fermented by mould of Rhyzopus spp. to produce a white cake-like product
with typical flavour. Commonly yellow soybeans is used, however, in this research black
soybeans was selected as the raw material.
Tempe was reported to have good nutrient contents, as well as many health benefits.
Children with malnutrition and chronic diarhea underwent quick recovery and nutritional
improvement, as indicated by weight gain, upon tempe formula administration. It was
assumed that this is due to modulation of immunity system both systemic and in
gastrointestinal system. This research was aimed to observe the potential of black-soybeans
tempe to increase activity of antioxidant enzymes, secretory IgA level, and proliferation of
lymphocyte, in vivo.
Five steps of research activities were conducted, which were: 1) evaluation of nutrient
composition and antioxidant compounds of several variety of soybeans, 2) the effect of
species of tempe moulds inocula (Rhizopus stolonifer, R. oligosporus and R. oryzae) and
incubation times on mould growth, organoleptic properties, and activity of antioxidant in
tempe, 3) the effect of tempe and the extract of black soybean tempe consumtion on the
activity of antioxidant enzymes, lymphocyte proliferation, and IgA secretory in Salmonella
typhimurium infected rats, 4) the effect of tempe and extract of black soybean tempe
consumption on the activity of human antioxidant enzymes and lymphocyte proliferation, in
vivo, and 5) the effect of black soybeans extract on lymphocyte proliferation, activity of
protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), in vitro.
Mallika black soybean variety contains anthocyanins, which is not found in the
yellow soybeans samples (Grobogan and imported yellow soybean varieties). It also contains
daidzein, oleic, and linoleic acid higher than those in other varieties. Mould growth on yellow
and black soybean tempes, using the three fungus inocula (Rhizopus stolonifer, Rhizopus
oligosporus and Rhizopus oryzae) proceeded during 36 hours fermentation process. The
growth declined at 42 hours for R. stolonifer and R. oligosporus. However, Rhizopus oryzae
that grew slowest, still grew at 42 hours incubation time. Generally, the pattern of mould
growth, organoleptic properties, and activity of antioxidant were not different between
yellow and black soybean tempe. Tempe quality, as judged using organoleptic method, for
tempe produced using R. stolonifer inoculum, incubated for 36 hours were the best among all
tempe. Although the antioxidant content still increased during prolonged incubation to 42
hours, the quality of the tempe was not accepted by the panelists.
On rats fed black soybean tempe, tempe extract, combination of tempe and its extract,
and standard diets the proliferation of T cell index were significantly different. The tempe
diet had the highest stimulation effect. On human subjects, tempe diet also showed the
highest stimulation effect on T cell proliferation. However, there were no significant effect
on the index of stimulation of B cell proliferation and the level of secretory IgA.
Rats given tempe powder were able to increase the activity of antioxidant enzyme
(SOD), lymphocytes proliferation (T cell), and lymphocytes survivor against hydrogen
peroxide test. On human subjects, tempe consumption was able to increase lymphocytes
proliferation (T cell) and lymphocytes survivor against hydrogen peroxide test. On in-vitro
observation, ethanol extract of tempe was able to increase proliferation of lymphocytes,
activity of PTK enzyme, and PCNA. These in vivo data supported T cell proliferation
phenomena observed in in vivo rat and human study in addition to resistency to oxydation. It
was concluded that consuming tempe increase cellular immune system.
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