Unveiling the cultural significance and development of “wajik”, a traditional Javanese food

Abstract

Indonesia is the fourth most populous country in the world with a diverse array of traditional food, including main dishes, snacks, and indigenous beverages. The paper aims to explore the cultural significance, historical and philosophical perspectives, production, physicochemical properties, recent development studies, and the safety, shelf life and microbiological aspect of wajik, a traditional Javanese food. Wajik originated during the Majapahit era in Central and East Java and is still significant today in ceremonial events. Wajik, rooted in the Javanese phrase "wani tumindak becik", symbolizes courageous pursuit of righteousness and reflects the unwavering commitment to virtuous actions, with its etymological link to diamond-shaped playing cards. Wajik is an officially recognized semi-wet snack made from glutinous rice, palm sugar, and coconut milk, with a distinctive texture and delightful, sweet taste, typically served as a leisure snack due to its parallelogram shape, semi-wet texture, and slight stickiness, requiring specific equipment and standardized ingredients for production. Some strategies have been developed to increase the quality, value added, and to prolong the shelf life of wajik through innovative packaging, food safety system implementation, and product reformulation.