Semarang – Diponegoro University is known as a university that produces students who not only have academic achievements in their fields, but also educate and produce young researchers. The majority of UNDIP students are active in studying and producing many scientific works. One of them that should be appreciated is the research on phenol isolates from the leaves of Ketapang (Terminalia catappa) as a natural preservative for Vaname shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei).
Vaname shrimp is the main commodity which is a source of income for the people in Lamongan (East Java). the productivity of the Vename shrimp business has increased from time to time due to high market demand. Unfortunately, this shrimp has a very short endurance for freshness, while the export or shipping process outside of Java island requires quite a long time. During this time, antibiotics such as Chloramphenicol are used in shrimp to maintain freshness. This is certainly inappropriate because the use of antibiotic drugs in food will cause an increased risk of antibiotic resistance in humans through the consumption process.
Based on this problem, Sekar Arum Ayu Firsanti (Pharmacy student-2019) who was born in Lamongan as the team leader and with other members namely Novita Aida Dahlia (Chemical Engineering 2019), Aziz Qomarul Firdaus (Electrical Engineering-2019), Efra Sariyunardi (Biotechnology 2019) ), and Revi Anisatur Rosyidah (General Medicine 2019) found an innovation that aims to help the community by making natural preservatives for Vaname shrimp from the phenol isolates of Ketapang leaves.
This natural preservative innovation succeeded in bringing Sekar and her team to the ASEAN Innovative Science and Entrepreneur Fair (AISEF) 2020 competition organized by the Indonesian Young Scientist Association (IYSA) at BG Junction, Surabaya on 14-16 February 2020. At the event, the UNDIP delegation which consists of multidisciplinary science must face 165 other teams from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Through hard work and good presentations to the AISEF 2020 judges, Sekar and her team managed to bring home a silver medal from the event and natural preservative products from their scientific work have also been used by shrimp farmers in Lamongan.
Sekar said, “This work really helps the farmers in their business. Dried ketapang leaves have high phenol and humic acid content so they are able to fight bacteria and can reduce the process of spoilage in Vaname shrimp, thus making Shrimp more durable and fresh during the shipping process”.In addition, Sekar also said that with a more affordable price, this product can be used by farmers who have low economic capacity, and how to make it can be done easily.
“Success is not only about achieving grades in academic papers. Learning and achievement are not only obtained in the classroom or campus environment. The paths and definitions of human success are always different, so don’t compare the process that you live with other people’s processes. ” Sekar’s words to Pharmacy students to always be enthusiastic in reaching their achievements.
Written by Muchammad Faris/Fitri Wulandari