Arum Widyastuti Perdani, a doctoral student in Food Science at Universitas Gadjah Mada, was awarded the Best Presentation Award at the 10th International Conference on Composite Materials Engineering (ICCMME 2025), held at Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea, from January 8 to 10, 2025. Arum is also an alumna of UGM’s undergraduate program in Food and Agricultural Product Technology class of 2014 and master’s program in Food Science and Technology class of 2018.
Representing UGM among participants from 19 countries, Arum presented her dissertation thesis titled “Pectin and Chitosan Biofilm Composites Enriched with Rambutan Peel Anthocyanins for Colorimetric Intelligent Food Packaging.” Her research introduced an innovative smart packaging system made from biofilm capable of visually indicating food quality through color shift.
Representing UGM among participants from 19 countries, Arum presented her dissertation titled “Pectin and Chitosan Biofilm Composites Enriched with Rambutan Peel Anthocyanins for Colorimetric Intelligent Food Packaging.” Her research introduces an innovative smart packaging system made from biopolymer-based films that can visually indicate food quality changes through color shifts.
“This biofilm used anthocyanins extracted from rambutan peels as a natural, pH-sensitive dye. It is designed to be not only environmentally friendly but also to enhance food safety by providing consumers with an easy-to-understand visual indicator,” Arum explained.
Her achievement highlights the contributions of UGM students to sustainable food technology innovation, aligning with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12 on Responsible Consumption and Production, as well as SDG 9 on Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, with an emphasis on environmentally sound technologies.
Photo: Arum Widyastuti Perdani
Contributor: Luqlun Arghani (Public Relations, Faculty of Agricultural Technology)
Writer: Firstnandita Keisha