Space Seed Holdings Visits Tuna Abon Producer in Gorontalo, Discusses Fermentation Applications
On Monday, August 10, 2026, Space Seed Holdings Inc. visited BMS (Bilal Mekar Snack), a food processor in Gorontalo Province, Indonesia, that makes abon, a dried, shredded fish product, from tuna processing by-products. Ananda Setiyo Ivannanto, President Director of PT Awina Sinergi International, and Dr. Arfiani Rizki Paramata of Universitas Negeri Gorontalo joined the visit. During the visit, Space Seed Holdings discussed how fermentation could be used with Gorontalo’s farm and fishery products to extend shelf life and develop new food ingredients.
The visit
– Date: Monday, August 10, 2026
– Site: BMS (Bilal Mekar Snack), Jl. Poowo, Kel. Bulotadaa Barat, Kec. Sipatana, Gorontalo City, Gorontalo Province, Indonesia
– Participants: Kengo Suzuki, Representative Director and CEO, Space Seed Holdings Inc.; Ananda Setiyo Ivannanto, President Director, PT Awina Sinergi International; Dr. Arfiani Rizki Paramata, S.Pi., M.Si., Lecturer, Universitas Negeri Gorontalo, and halal auditor, LPPOM MUI Gorontalo Province
– Purpose: To see how BMS uses tuna processing by-products, and to discuss whether fermentation could extend their shelf life and widen their uses
The visit was the first field activity under the cooperation agreement that Space Seed Holdings, Awina and the Faculty of Marine Science and Fisheries Technology at Universitas Negeri Gorontalo signed the same day: the Cooperation Agreement on Research, Human Resource Development, and Downstream Industrialization in the Fields of Agribusiness and Sustainable Fisheries Resource Management.
Related release (September 7, 2026, in Japanese): Space Seed Holdings, PT Awina Sinergi International and the Faculty of Marine Science and Fisheries Technology at Universitas Negeri Gorontalo sign tripartite cooperation agreement
Making tuna abon from processing by-products
BMS is a local food processor that markets its products as Gorontalo home cooking. It cooks, shreds, seasons and dries tuna processing by-products into flakes sold as Abon Ikan Tuna, or tuna abon. Abon is a traditional Indonesian preserved food eaten with rice or bread. Because it keeps at room temperature, it can be sold in areas where refrigeration is limited. BMS also makes Sambal Sagela, a Gorontalo chili condiment made with smoked fish, and sells outside the province through its own shop, the e-commerce platforms Shopee, Tokopedia and Bukalapak, and the delivery services Grab and Maxim.
The visit also highlighted several challenges. The quality of the by-products used as raw material varies with the season and the catch. Another challenge is maintaining shelf life while limiting the use of additives. And because the flavor of the raw material varies, seasoning needs to be adjusted to keep the flavor of the finished product consistent.
Fermentation applications discussed
At the site, Space Seed Holdings proposed several ways fermentation could be applied to Gorontalo’s farm and fishery products:
– Shelf life: evaluating whether fermentation with beneficial microorganisms, together with control of pH and water activity, could extend shelf life and reduce the need for preservatives.
– Flavor: testing whether fermentation could improve the flavor of tuna processing by-products, since protein breakdown during fermentation releases free amino acids and peptides, and make them suitable for use in seasoning bases. Nutritional value would be assessed as a separate item.
– Ingredients for other manufacturers: in addition to finished products such as abon, supplying intermediate ingredients such as seasoning bases and powders that other companies can use in their own products, potentially increasing unit prices and opening new sales channels.
– Remaining by-products: considering whether by-products that remain after processing could be used as feed or fertilizer materials.
The proposals are still at an early stage. The parties plan to examine them using research facilities at Universitas Negeri Gorontalo, with the participation of its faculty members and students. The work will start with characterizing the raw material and move on to small-scale trials and evaluation.
Halal compliance and quality assurance
Dr. Paramata is a fisheries researcher. She is also a halal auditor at the Gorontalo Province branch of LPPOM MUI, the food, drug and cosmetics assessment institute of the Indonesian Ulema Council, and holds a halal auditor certification accredited by BNSP. In Indonesia, halal certification of food is administered by the Halal Product Assurance Organizing Agency (BPJPH), and controls on raw materials and processes become more important as products are processed further. Space Seed Holdings plans to take halal compliance and quality assurance into account from the start of any work on fermentation, to help small and medium-sized local producers meet the requirements of domestic and export markets.
Comment
Kengo Suzuki, Representative Director and CEO, Space Seed Holdings Inc.
“BMS is already turning tuna processing by-products into food products. We want to build on that work by testing whether fermentation can improve shelf life and flavor. Together with the university, we plan to evaluate what works with local raw materials and what local producers can use in practice.”
About PT Awina Sinergi International
PT Awina Sinergi International (PT AWINA) is the Indonesian company of the A-Wing Group (AAI). Based in Indonesia, it operates businesses in renewable energy, environmental solutions, and related fields. Working with Japanese companies, it develops new businesses in renewable energy, waste management, and the circular economy, and promotes business partnerships that connect Japan and Indonesia.
PT AWINA is also a participant, together with Hokuriku Electrical Construction Co., Ltd. of the Hokuriku Electric Power Group and AAI CO., LTD., in PT Awina Rikudenko Solar Engineering Indonesia (ARISE). Established in April 2023 as the first overseas subsidiary of Hokuriku Electrical Construction, ARISE provides energy solutions in Indonesia centered on solar power generation.
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About Space Seed Holdings Inc.
Space Seed Holdings is a space deep-tech venture builder whose mission is “Turning science fiction into nonfiction.” Its activities span investment, research and venture creation, and include the Fermentation and Longevity Fund program, which supports the practical use of fermentation and longevity technologies. Its long-term goal is to help develop the technologies needed for humans to live in space by 2040, working with partners across different fields.
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