Yogyakarta, September 11 and 13, 2024 – The Food and Agricultural Product Technology (TPHP) Study Program at Universitas Gadjah Mada held a guest lecture as part of the Plant Design course, in line with the activities of the Kampus Merdeka Competition Program (PKKM). For this event, TPHP invited Jessy Budi Harsono, Managing Director of PT Jes dan Tirta, a company known for its Sarsaparilla beverages. As a successful TPHP alumnus turned entrepreneur, Ms. Jessy shared real-world applications of the knowledge gained during his studies.
The Department of Food and Agricultural Product Technology (TPHP), Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), held a Workshop on the Dissemination of Student Research Outcomes as part of the Merdeka Campus Competition Program (PKKM) on Monday, October 28. This workshop aimed to strengthen the institution’s recognition on a global scale and featured two prominent keynote speakers: Prof. Purwiyatno Hariyadi (Professor at IPB University) and Prof. Ardiansyah (Professor at Bakrie University), both well-known for their strategic approaches to institutional reputation building.
Agricultural Product Technology (TPHP), Universitas Gadjah Mada, held a guest lecture series featuring Maria Nur Haryati from PT Sriboga Flour Mills. The lecture was integrated into the undergraduate course Legumes, Cereals, and Tuber Technology and delivered in two sessions: “Wheat and Flour Technology” on September 23, 2024, conducted onsite at the Faculty of Agricultural Technology, and “Wheat Flour Application” on October 14, 2024, held online via Zoom.
Wheat and Flour Technology
Maria began by tracing the historical roots of wheat cultivation, dating back to ancient civilizations in modern-day Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Iran, eventually reaching China by 2700 BCE. Today, China remains the world’s largest wheat producer, followed by the European Union and India, while Indonesia ranks among the top wheat consumers, relying heavily on imports.
Students from the Department of Food and Agricultural Product Technology (TPHP) at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) have once again demonstrated academic excellence and innovation, bringing home prestigious accolades from two major national competitions.
At the 37th National Student Scientific Week (Pekan Ilmiah Mahasiswa Nasional – PIMNAS), held at Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, from October 15–18, 2024, UGM secured second place overall, earning a total of 26 medals—4 gold, 11 silver, and 11 bronze—across poster and oral presentation categories. This marks UGM as the highest overall medal recipient at this year’s PIMNAS.
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.
The growing interest in vegan diets—driven by health and environmental concerns—has led to the development of innovative alternatives to conventional protein sources. One promising development is mycoprotein, a high-protein, fungus-based meat substitute derived from filamentous fungi (mycelium), currently being developed by a research team at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM).
Led by Rachma Wikandari, S.T.P., M.Biotech., Ph.D., the UGM team collaborates with the University of Borås (Sweden) and the University of Lampung to cultivate mycoprotein using soybean boiling water waste from tempeh production as a growth medium. “Mycoprotein is nutrient-dense, resource-efficient, environmentally friendly, and affordable,” said Dr. Wikandari. She also highlighted its significantly lower environmental impact compared to conventional protein sources, such as beef or soy.
As part of its continued commitment to practical learning and sustainable development, the Master’s Program in Food Science and Technology (S2 ITP) and Master’s Program in Estate Crop Product Processing Technology (S2 THP) at the Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FTP UGM), organized an industrial field trip to PT So Good Food Dairy, PT So Good Food Ready-to-Eat (RTE), and Cepogo Cheese Park in Boyolali Regency, Central Java. Held on November 22, 2024, the visit was accompanied by faculty members from the Department of Food and Agricultural Product Technology and aimed to bridge theoretical knowledge with real-world industrial practices.
As part of the 2024 Program Kompetisi Kampus Merdeka, the Department of Food and Agricultural Product Technology at Universitas Gadjah Mada held a guest lecture series on October 16, October 30, and November 13, 2024. This session invited Dr. Ulfatun Nisa, M.Biotech., Head of the Pharmaceutical Production Unit (UPF) of Traditional Health Services (Yankestrad) in Tawangmangu. The lecture, titled “Functional Foods Based on Herbs and Spices,” was attended by undergraduate students enrolled in the Functional Food course.
On Wednesday, December 18, 2024, the Department of Food and Agricultural Product Technology at Universitas Gadjah Mada hosted a coordination and discussion session with the Fisheries Office of Berau District, East Kalimantan. The meeting took place in the TPHP Department Conference Room, located on the 3rd floor of the Faculty of Agricultural Technology, UGM.
The event brought together representatives from both TPHP UGM and the Berau District Fisheries Office, highlighting a strong collaboration between academia and government in supporting innovation and the advancement of local food industries.
On October 28 and 30, 2024, the Department of Food and Agricultural Product Technology (TPHP) at Universitas Gadjah Mada held a two-day guest lecture series exclusively for students enrolled in the Coffee, Tea, and Cocoa Technology course. The sessions featured Noor Ariefandie Febrianto, M.Sc., Ph.D., a postharvest researcher from the Indonesian Coffee and Cocoa Research Institute (Puslitkoka), who delivered two insightful lectures on cocoa: “Cocoa Quality: Its Relevance to Genetics, Environment, and Postharvest Technology” and “Understanding Production Processes and Quality Control in Cocoa-Based Products.”