The Department of Food and Agricultural Product Technology (TPHP) at Universitas Gadjah Mada welcomed students to another inspiring guest lecture on Thursday, November 28. The session featured M. Danu P. Kuntoro, S.T.P., a 2000 TPHP alumnus and current R&D Reaction Product Manager at PT Indesso Aroma. With the theme “Unlocking Nature Through Taste: A Sensory Journey into the Heart of Flavors”, the lecture delved into the critical role of sensory evaluation in food product development.
To set the tone for the session, Mr. Danu engaged students with an interactive quiz designed to introduce the fundamentals of flavor science. The activity created an enjoyable and participatory learning environment, encouraging curiosity and attentiveness among students. During his presentation, Mr. Danu explained that the flavor industry primarily operates on a Business-to-Business (B2B) model, where custom-designed flavors are developed without retail branding. He also emphasized the importance of responding to global market trends, highlighting the rise of Korean food flavors in the Indonesian market.
Addressing real-world challenges in flavor development, Mr. Danu spoke about the complexities of consumer preferences, incompatibilities between flavor and product base, and communication gaps between producers and clients. To navigate these issues, he underscored the importance of close collaboration within research and development (R&D) teams.
A key highlight of the lecture was the discussion on how sensory evaluation can help reduce the risk of product failure and ensure consistency in quality. According to Mr. Danu, trained sensory panelists play a vital role in maintaining both product integrity and competitive advantage in the food industry.
Toward the end of the session, students had the opportunity to participate in a hands-on flavorscape experiment. Enthusiastically, they sampled various flavor profiles brought in by Mr. Danu and explored their unique sensory attributes. He also introduced the “Building Block” approach—a method of constructing flavor profiles from foundational ingredients with similar characteristics to achieve harmony and depth in taste.
This guest lecture not only enriched students’ understanding of sensory science but also exemplified real-world applications aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Quality Education (SDG 4) and Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure (SDG 9). By bridging education with technological and industrial insights, the event sparked student interest in sustainable innovation and encouraged deeper exploration in the field of sensory and product development.
Written by: Firstnandita K
