Students from the Master’s Program in Food Science and Technology (MFST), Department of Food and Agricultural Product Technology, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), have once again achieved recognition at the international level. Nur Afni Rezkika (even-semester intake 2024) and Fiki Nimatul Jannah (odd-semester intake 2024) won multiple awards at the International Student Summit 2026 in the International Essay category, held on 14–15 February 2026 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The competition was organized by Sentosa Foundation in collaboration with the International Student Association (INSAN) of Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) and the World Association of Young Scientists (WAYS). The event brought together students from various countries with diverse academic backgrounds and subthemes. In this competition, Nur Afni and Fiki were awarded a Gold Medal in recognition of the quality of their scientific work, received the Best Presentation award for their outstanding delivery, and were also named 3rd Winner in the International Essay category.
The essay they presented focused on the development of intelligent biopackaging based on dragon fruit peel, integrated with the MeatSafe application. This innovation offers a novel and sustainable solution for real-time monitoring of chicken meat quality, thereby enhancing consumer protection and supporting food safety.
Chicken meat is one of the most widely consumed sources of animal protein; however, it is highly susceptible to quality deterioration due to microbial contamination, especially in open-market systems such as traditional markets. This decline in quality is often not detectable visually by consumers, even though microbiological spoilage may have already occurred and could pose health risks.
As a solution, the team developed a smart sticker based on dragon fruit peel extract containing betalain pigments, natural compounds that are sensitive to pH changes. The color changes in the sticker are then analyzed through the MeatSafe application using a smartphone camera, allowing consumers to obtain objective and practical information on meat quality. In addition to improving food safety, this innovation also utilizes dragon fruit peel waste as a raw material, thereby supporting sustainability and circular economy principles. This idea aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).
The competition was conducted over two days. On the first day, all participants presented their work through a poster presentation session in front of a panel of judges as the initial selection stage. The best participants from each subtheme then advanced to the final round, where they delivered extended presentations using PowerPoint to compete for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and runner-up positions. Through comprehensive presentation and strong scientific arguments, the S2 ITP UGM team successfully secured three awards.
“Participating in this event provided a valuable academic experience in developing critical thinking, scientific communication skills, and the ability to present ideas systematically in an international forum. We hope that this innovation can be implemented and serve as a starting point for further research and innovation in the field of food technology,” said Nur Afni and Fiki.
The achievement of Nur Afni and Fiki reflects the strong research-based education in the S2 ITP UGM program and serves as motivation for other students to continue developing creative, applicable, and impactful ideas that contribute to food safety, sustainability, and public well-being.
