Encouraging Indonesians to Return to Natural Foods, American Professor Supports Food Research at UNHAS Graduate School
MAKASSAR — The development of natural resource-based innovation has become an important perspective in discussing food security and competitiveness. This topic was highlighted by the Graduate School of Hasanuddin University (SPs UNHAS) through an international guest lecture themed “Pharmacological and Biofunctional Chemical Synergy for Retinoid-Carotenoid-Based Food Security and Competitiveness” on Wednesday, October 14, 2026.
The hybrid event, held at the Prof. Dr. Ir. Fachruddin Auditorium, SPs UNHAS, featured Made Airanthi K. Widjaja Adhi, Ph.D., M.Sc., B.Sc., from Case Western Reserve University, USA, as the guest speaker. During her presentation, she delivered a lecture titled “From Natural Resources to Innovation: Connecting Pharmacology, Functional Bioactives, and Food Security.”
The guest lecture opened with remarks by Prof. Dr. dr. Marhaen Hardjo, M.Biomed., Ph.D., as the Vice Dean for Partnership, Research, and Innovation of SPs UNHAS. The discussion was moderated by Dr. Nur Rahma, S.Si.
Continuing the main agenda, in her presentation, she invited the Indonesian public to re-prioritize the consumption of natural foods rich in functional compounds. Made Airanthi explained how the synergy between pharmacology and the chemistry of natural products—specifically the retinoid and carotenoid compound groups—can be transformed into high-nutritional-value food innovations while serving as a bulwark for public health defense.
One of the interesting highlights in her explanation was the example of seaweed utilization. She revealed that in the United States, seaweed is now increasingly popular and widely utilized in the functional food industry as a nutrient-rich food additive as well as a natural savory (umami) flavor provider.
According to her, this serves as both an opportunity and a wake-up call for Indonesia. As a maritime country with extraordinarily abundant marine potential, Indonesia possesses great capital to manage it independently. The idea of optimizing this marine potential directly intersected with the composition of the attendees. This scientific forum was not only packed with lecturers and graduate students but was also attended directly by representatives from government agencies.
The presence of local government elements opens up opportunities for real synergy between academic research in laboratories and downstream policies in the field. Strengthening natural food-based research is expected to bolster Indonesia's natural wealth sector.