LPNM Unveils Innovative Pineapple-Based Products

JOHOR BAHRU, June 28 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Pineapple Industry Board (LPNM) has developed 22 pineapple-based products in collaboration with local entrepreneurs between 2021 and 2024 as part of efforts to boost the country’s downstream pineapple industry ahead of the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP).

LPNM Product Development and Biotechnology Division director Elmie Adha Ismail said the board aims to develop 25 innovative products by the end of this year, in line with the 13MP’s focus on innovation and empowering downstream industries.

He said these innovative products include a variety of food and non-food items such as pineapple vinegar, pickles, energy drinks, livestock feed pellets, pineapple fibre threads, as well as various products made from pinapeat (dried pineapple residue).

“The development of downstream pineapple products is a joint effort and initiative by LPNM, researchers, and entrepreneurs to create products that are innovative, unique, creative, and competitive,” he told Bernama during an interview in conjunction with the National Pineapple Day here today.

Elmie Adha noted that the division is currently conducting 18 research collaborations with research agencies until the end of the 12MP, focusing on set criteria such as marketability, industry suitability, and benefits to entrepreneurs.

He said the prescribed criteria are aimed at ensuring the research delivers a significant impact to pineapple entrepreneurs, which can also be expanded along the industry value chain to allow them to generate higher income.

According to Elmie Adha, the expansion of downstream pineapple products is also being driven through the division’s transfer of technology, which has engaged over 1,000 participants nationwide.

He said the initiative demonstrates the agricultural sector’s capability to produce highly innovative and competitive products, redefining pineapple as more than just a fruit but a dynamic income-generating resource.

On the National Pineapple Day event, he said the inaugural programme showcases 78 pineapple-based products, including 27 food items, 32 non-food products, 11 health-related items, and eight cosmetic and personal care products created from the fruit, leaves, stems, and agricultural waste.

He said this year’s slogan, Nanas Kita, Kebanggaan Negara, highlights the potential of pineapple as a multi-purpose commodity that can contribute to rural economic growth, adding that the ‘three harvests’ approach (Plant Once, Harvest Thrice) serves as a key strategy to generate a lucrative income for pineapple growers and entrepreneurs while maximising the use of farm yields.

“We encourage the production of items such as bromelain enzyme products, pineapple leaf fibre for textiles, organic fertilisers, health supplements, and personal care products. All of these can be generated from pineapple waste, which was once considered mere agricultural waste,” he added.

-- BERNAMA