UNU Jogja Food Technology Lecturer Presents Active Food Packaging Innovation at Global Scientific Forum in Japan

Tokyo, Japan – A lecturer from the Department of Agricultural Product Technology at Universitas Nahdlatul Ulama Yogyakarta (UNU Jogja), Elok Pawening Maharani, S.T.P., M.Sc., participated in The 11th International Conference on Composite Materials and Material Engineering (ICCMME 2026) held at Tokyo University of Science, Tokyo, Japan, on Wednesday, Feb 28. At this prestigious scientific forum, she represented UNU Jogja before researchers and academics from various countries.

ICCMME 2026 was jointly organized by the South Asia Institute of Science and Engineering (SAISE) in collaboration with Tokyo University of Science (Japan), Yonsei University (South Korea), and Sichuan University (China).

The conference committee structure also involved international scholars, including Kazuo Umemura (Tokyo University of Science, Japan), Jong Hak Kim (Yonsei University, South Korea), and Xiaohong Zhu (Sichuan University, China) as Conference Committee Chairs.

Meanwhile, the Program Committee Chairs included Jung Tae Park (Yonsei University, South Korea), Teik-Cheng Lim (Singapore University of Social Sciences, Singapore), and Seok-Keun Koh (C&G Hitech Co., Ltd., South Korea). The Publicity Committees featured Prakash Jadhav (SRM University-AP, India), Amnat Jarerat (Mahidol University, Thailand), and Hoo Peng Yong (Universiti Malaysia Perlis, Malaysia).

The conference featured invited talks, oral presentations, and poster sessions from scientists working in materials and composite engineering. It also served as a platform for building international research collaborations.

In addition, the forum brought together industry leaders and academics to exchange experiences, present the latest research findings, and explore opportunities for cooperation and the development of new technologies in advanced materials.

Eco-Friendly Active Food Packaging from Porous Rice Starch and Cinnamon Essential Oil

At the conference, Elok presented her research titled “Polyvinyl Alcohol/Cinnamon Essential Oils-loaded Porous Rice Starch Composite Film for Active Food Packaging with Slow Release.” The study focuses on the development of an active food packaging film based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) containing porous rice starch and cinnamon essential oil.

She explained that the research was inspired by common challenges faced by society, particularly the short shelf life of food and agricultural products.

“This research idea emerged from two main issues: the perishable nature of food and agricultural commodities with short shelf lives, and the growing plastic waste problem caused by the extensive use of packaging materials,” Elok explained.

She added that PVA is known as a biodegradable bioplastic with good mechanical properties, but it lacks the ability to release active compounds. Therefore, the concept of active packaging was developed to enable the controlled release of bioactive compounds to extend product shelf life.

The study utilized porous rice starch as an encapsulant to trap cinnamaldehyde and phenolic compounds from cinnamon essential oil. These materials were then incorporated into an active packaging film with a controlled release system.

The research aimed to evaluate the physical and mechanical characteristics, antioxidant and antibacterial activity, active compound release performance, functional groups, and film morphology of three sample types: pure PVA, PVA with direct addition of cinnamon essential oil (PVA-CEO), and PVA with porous starch loaded with cinnamon essential oil (PVA-PSCEO).

The results showed that the PVA-PSCEO sample exhibited a significant increase in thickness and T600 value, indicating lower transparency and better protection against UV exposure. Additionally, the film demonstrated antioxidant and antibacterial activity, a more homogeneous morphology, and the ability to release the active compound cinnamaldehyde gradually.

“These findings indicate that PVA-PSCEO packaging has strong potential to extend the shelf life of food products while serving as an environmentally friendly alternative that supports the reduction of conventional plastic use,” Elok concluded.

Her participation highlights UNU Jogja’s contribution as a Yogyakarta-based university actively engaged in the development of sustainable research in food technology and eco-friendly materials at the international level. [Latifah]