What is Buah Merah ? Buah Merah means red (merah) fruit (buah) which is grown in Papua island in Indonesia and surrounding areas only. It looks a giant corn and/or carrot. Scientific name is Pandanus conoideus. The native people were immigrated to Papua island more 60,000 years ago when sea water level was very low and Indonesian islands were combined into almost one big island called Sunda Island. Some families evacuated to higher mountain area, mainly Wamena at more than 2,000 m from sea level, from sea shore because of malaria. It is very curious why the native people settled in higher mountain cool areas can survive under naked and poorly edible conditions. They usually take vegetables and plants, except one or two times where pork and/or chicken are sacrificed. The answer has been given recently, that is Buah Merah which is taken everyday as source by them. Buah Merah (P. conoideus) is chosen as most nutritious species among tens of Pandanus species. The trees are naturally grown everywhere in Wamena valley and other places in Papua island. Recently, the habitants started to plant the trees at surroundings of their houses (Honai), because Buah Merah makes money. Buah Merah tree has many side-roots coming from the trunk. It looks like a octupus. Pandanus is named after octupus The biggest Buah Merah reaches more than 100 cm in length and 10kg in weight. The tree becomes more than 10ml tall. It is said that this strain of Buah Merah is harvested twice a year. Meats with seeds are placed on the surface. They are separated from the medulla after cooking and squeezed with hands to get oily source which is stored for daily use. The habitants in Wamena know naturally ow Buah Merah is nutritious and helpful for their health. Buah Merah extract from fruits are rich in oils, carotenoids and vitamin E. M&K Laboratories Inc., Japan, previously presided by Dr. Nishigaki T. has first discovered the presence of beta-cryptoxanthin, one of carotenoids, in Buah Merah. M&K Laboratories Inc. has started to do R/D and disclosed entire characteristics of Buah Merah. In 2006, Buah Merah extract encapsulated in a soft capsule was launched in Japan. From recent many epidemiological clinical studies, scientific evidences and findings of M&K, it is strongly expected that Buah Merah will be sure chemopreventive agent against lung cancers caused by heavy smoking, DM, post-menoposal oesteoporosis, etc. In 2008, Vitamin E enforced product, named BuahMerah 500 VE was registered as Functional Health Food in Japan and Korea. February 2008, Buah Merah was first demonstrated at Food Exhibition 2008 held in Tokyo. Further, Buah Merah will be introduced in reputable Japanese health magazine, YUME 21 published in December.
Posted on: Sat, 27 Sep 2014 03:37:46 +0000
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