Oncom

Oncom (IPA: ɔnˈtʃɔm) is a fermented food which is one of the traditional staples of the Sundanese cuisine of Indonesia. There are two kinds of oncom: red oncom and black oncom. The food is closely related to tempeh; both are fermented using mold.

Usually, oncom is made from the by-products of the production of other foods: soy pulp left over from making tofu, peanut press cake residue after the oil has been pressed out, cassava tailings after extracting the starch (aci sampeu), coconut press cake remaining after the oil has been pressed out or when coconut milk has been produced. Since oncom production uses by-products to make food, it increases the economic efficiency of food production.

Black oncom is made by using Rhizopus oligosporus while red oncom is made by using Neurospora intermedia var. oncomensis. It is the only traditional human food produced from Neurospora.

Red oncom has been found to reduce the cholesterol levels of rats.