Yogyakarta – A lecturer from the Department of Food and Agricultural Product Technology (TPHP), Universitas Gadjah Mada, Dr. Widiastuti Setyaningsih, S.T.P., M.Sc., has received the 2025 Ristek Kalbe Science Awards (RKSA), which carries the theme “Pentahelix Collaboration in Supporting Research Downstreaming.” The award ceremony was held on Wednesday evening, December 3, 2025, at the Auditorium of the Directorate General of Higher Education, Science, and Technology in Jakarta, and was attended by academics from leading universities across Indonesia.
In her remarks, Irawati Setiady, President Director of PT Kalbe Farma Tbk, stated that RKSA 2025 represents Kalbe’s strong commitment to strengthening national research. According to her, Indonesia has tremendous potential for innovation in science and technology, and continuous support is needed to ensure that research outcomes can be developed and deliver real impact to society. The RKSA program is also expected to encourage cross-sector collaboration in accelerating the downstreaming of research.
In the competition, Dr. Widiastuti presented a research project entitled “Downstreaming of Roselle Kombucha Effervescent Tablets as an Antidiabetic Functional Beverage with AI–NIR Calibration Integration for Real-Time Quality Control.” The study combines antioxidant-rich roselle, kombucha fermentation to enhance bioactivity, and foam-mat drying technology to produce a stable powdered form that can be processed into effervescent tablets. In addition, the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Near Infrared (NIR) Spectroscopy enables real-time quality control with a high level of accuracy.
This innovation is not only intended as a practical solution for people with diabetes, but also contributes to the socio-economic empowerment of local roselle farmers in various regions of Indonesia. The research was conducted in collaboration with multiple institutions, including Telkom University, Jember State Polytechnic, UPN Veteran East Java, Erista Garden, and the National Standardization Agency of Indonesia (BSN). It is hoped that this achievement will inspire young researchers to continue developing innovative works that provide benefits for public health, technological advancement, and economic development.
Writer: Okta I. Latifa
