Not every part of a food ingredient ends up on the plate. Throughout the production and consumption of food, some ingredients are not absorbed by the market because their shape or size does not meet standard specifications. Yet, there are also parts that could still be utilized but have been considered unsuitable from the very beginning. Garlic skins, for example, are more often seen as something that should simply be discarded. The same applies to the roots of spring onions that have already been thoroughly cleaned, or the darker green leaves that are considered too old to eat.

Yet, the issue is not always the quality of the ingredient. Sometimes, what causes a part of a food ingredient to be overlooked is our habits, perceptions, or the way we view it.

So, what if these ingredients were not only seen as leftovers, but as resources that still hold value?

This question became one of the starting points for Rerasa, a food innovation developed by five Food Technology students at i3L University through the 2026 Student Creativity Program for Entrepreneurship (PKM-K).

When What Is Discarded Is Not Necessarily Useless

Throughout the food chain, from harvesting to distribution and processing, not every part of a food ingredient ends up as a primary product. Some are left out because of market specifications, while others have yet to find a clear path for utilization.

Consider carrots that are too large, too small, or irregularly shaped. These ingredients may not meet the requirements of certain markets, but that does not automatically mean they have lost their value as food.

The same can happen to parts of plants that are rarely used due to cultural practices or habits.

Garlic skins are one example. For many people, the skin is simply something to be peeled away and discarded before the garlic is used. Cleaned roots are also often excluded from food preparation, while darker green spring onion leaves may be considered too old to use.

In the context of food, this raises an interesting question: does something become useless because it truly cannot be used, or because we have simply not become accustomed to using it?

The Value of Food Is Not Always Found in the Parts We Usually Use

The way we utilize food ingredients is often shaped by habit.

We become accustomed to using certain parts of an ingredient and discarding the rest. Over time, these habits can feel so normal that we rarely stop to question them.

Yet, our approach to food ingredients can change when food processing technology creates new possibilities. Parts that were previously unpopular for consumption can be processed, combined, or given a different function.

This is where the concept of imperfect food becomes broader. Imperfect is not only about physical appearance, but also about ingredients or parts of food that have not yet been utilized to their full potential.

One simple example can be seen in baby carrots. Some baby carrots are made by cutting and shaping larger carrots into smaller pieces that are more convenient to consume. This example shows how changes in processing and form can give the same ingredient a different function and context of use.

However, not every ingredient needs to be reshaped. Sometimes, all that is needed is a different way of processing it.

From Overlooked Ingredients to Rerasa

This idea was then translated into action by five Food Technology students at i3L University: Annette Felicia Sutanto as the team leader, together with Evan Manuel Wijaya, Feryna Tjandra Wijaya, Jessicca Vimala Yoe, and Hillary Clarence Rosli. The team is supervised by Dr.oec. troph. Hanny Angrainy, B.Sc., MA, M.Sc.

Through Rerasa, they developed a cooking stock seasoning in sheet form, designed to provide a savory flavor to everyday dishes. What makes the product interesting is not only its format, but also how Rerasa attempts to change the way underutilized food ingredients can gain new value.

Ingredients that may have previously been considered merely the result of sorting or as parts that are not normally used can enter the processing stage and become part of a food product with a clear function. With this approach, Rerasa is not simply asking, “What can we make from the ingredients that are left over?”

The question goes further: “How can something that has long been overlooked regain its function?”

Will the Market Accept It?

This is where the issue becomes even more interesting. Turning imperfect ingredients into a new product may sound promising, but the food industry does not stop at asking whether a product can be made. A product must also respond to market needs. Consumers who are already accustomed to powdered or cube-shaped stock may ask: “Why should I try a different format?”

That is a valid question. Convenience alone may not be enough to change consumer habits. Therefore, Rerasa needs to offer a relevant combination: an acceptable taste, ease of use, a practical format, and a story behind its ingredients that provides additional value. If one of these elements is missing, an interesting idea may not necessarily become an appealing product. This is where food innovation meets entrepreneurship.

From Food Waste to Food Innovation

Reducing food waste is not simply about throwing away less. There is a bigger question: what can be done before an ingredient becomes completely underutilized?

At the agricultural, distribution, market, and food industry levels, some ingredients may be left out for various reasons. Some do not meet certain specifications, some are less desirable, while others have simply never been considered conventional parts of the food we consume. Food technology can serve as a bridge for exploring alternative ways to utilize them.

Through processes such as dehydration, Rerasa transforms ingredients into a dried form that can be used as a seasoning product. The process is not merely about making the ingredients more shelf-stable or convenient, but also about transforming underutilized ingredients into products with new functions. At this point, food waste, food innovation, and entrepreneurship come together.

When an ingredient that was previously underutilized can be processed into a product that consumers need, the value created is not only nutritional or culinary, but also economic.

More Than Just Making Use of What Is Left

Of course, Rerasa cannot solve the issue of food waste on its own. Turning underutilized ingredients into a product also requires formulation, processing, testing, flavor consistency, and consumer acceptance. But that is precisely where the value of student innovation can be seen.

Rerasa demonstrates that food-related challenges can be viewed from a different perspective. Garlic skins, cleaned roots, darker green leaves, and vegetables that do not meet market specifications do not necessarily have to be immediately regarded as worthless. Sometimes, the problem is not with the ingredient itself.

Maybe we simply have not found the right way to use it yet.

Through Rerasa, five i3L University students are giving a second chance to food ingredients that are often overlooked and showing that food innovation can begin with something we have long taken for granted.

“Bringing back the goodness of vegetables that are often overlooked.”