Agricom.id, JAKARTA – Head of Balai Penelitian Tanaman Aneka Kacang dan Umbi (Balitkabi), Ministry of Agriculture, Yuliantoro Baliadi took the people to consume purple sweet potato to increase the immunity to prevent the epidemic of corona virus (Covid – 19).

He thought that it is good to consume for it has anti-thyrin to break the toxic compound which could multiply the immune and fitness in man’s body.

“The main thing to protect the immune in our body to prevent the virus is by consuming the food which has anti-thryin, such as, the purple sweet potato,” he said, Saturday, (21/3/2020) as in the official statement to Agricom.id.

Since 2014, he continued, Badan Penelitian dan Pengembangan Pertanian through Balitkabi has released the superior purple sweet potato within the name, Antin 3. It has high anti-thyrin reaching 150,7 mg or 100 g (bb).

"The purple sweet potato, Antin 3 is the superior one which has high anti-thyrin ingredients or more than it from Japan, which is, Ayamurasaki," he said.

Meanwhile, Head of Pusat Penelitian dan Pengembangan Tanaman Pangan (Puslitbangtan), Ministry of Agriculture, Haris Syahbuddin said that the purple sweet potatop is the functional snack which is good for the health.

“Based on his description, besides having the high anti-thyrin, it has the high potential result, which is, 30,6 tons/hectare and the harvest could be done after 4 – 4,5 months after being planted. It is resistant to the scab, pest, tolerant to the drought, and good to plant in the moor or paddy field after being planted,” he said.

For information, Covid-19 is the deadly virus for it fast spreads from man to other man. This virus spreads when someone gets cough or sneezing from the infected people. Until now there no vaccine or medicine that could cure the disease. But lots of people recover for their immune is good to fight for the virus.

“Covid-19 is the virus tests the immune. To increase the immune when the Covid spreads, it needs to consume the food having the anti-thryin,” he said. (A2)