Agricultural Product Technology Student Elisa Mariani Introduces High-Fiber, Low-Sugar Dietary Crackers to Help Prevent Type 2 Diabetes

Yogyakarta, Indonesia – Cases of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) in Indonesia continue to rise. In the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY), prevalence has reached between 3.1 and 4.9 percent, higher than the national average. This condition is largely driven by high sugar consumption, low physical activity, and insufficient dietary fiber intake.

The situation highlights the urgent need for innovative functional foods made from local ingredients that are rich in fiber and bioactive compounds. Canna tuber (ganyong) and cocoa pod husk are considered promising raw materials that may support natural and sustainable diabetes prevention.

This issue has drawn the attention of Elisa Mariani, a student from the Agricultural Product Technology (THP) Department. Through her research, Elisa secured funding from the Indofood Riset Nugraha (IRN) Program 2025–2026 after passing a highly competitive selection process involving thousands of applicants from universities across Indonesia.

The IRN program is a prestigious research grant for undergraduate students, aimed at encouraging high-quality research, particularly in the development of functional food products.

In her study, Elisa developed dietary crackers as a healthy snack alternative to help prevent diabetes. The product is formulated from a combination of canna flour and cocoa pod husk flour, both expected to provide functional health benefits.

She explained that the research employed a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) non-factorial method, with two experimental replications and two analytical replications. The treatment variations focused on different ratios of canna flour and cocoa pod husk flour in the cracker formulation.

Elisa hopes the research will make a meaningful scientific contribution to diabetes prevention efforts.

“We hope the dietary crackers we are developing will not only contribute scientifically as a functional food with the potential to help control diabetes, but also become a healthy snack option that is well accepted by the public. In addition, this innovation is expected to bring environmental benefits through the utilization of cocoa pod husk waste while also supporting the economic empowerment of canna farmers,” Elisa said.

Lecturer of the THP Department, Diah Ayu Puspasari, S.T.P., M.Sc., expressed appreciation for Elisa’s innovation. She stated that THP students continue to demonstrate their relevance through tangible contributions to society. Beyond classroom learning, students are encouraged to actively develop science-based solutions to address challenges in food, health, and environmental sustainability.

“Through innovative research that utilizes local resources, THP students of UNU Jogja prove that science can directly respond to community needs. This approach strengthens UNU Jogja’s role as a university that serves as a center for applied science with social impact, while also enriching academic development in food and agricultural technology,” she said.

She added that a strong research culture also helps students build broader competitiveness. Participation in competitive research programs, interdisciplinary collaboration, and innovation-based product development provide essential experience for competing at both national and global levels.

This demonstrates that UNU Jogja students are not only learners, but also young innovators ready to contribute to the international scientific ecosystem. [Latifah]