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The exhibition served as a platform for students to demonstrate food innovation that balances creative flavors with functional benefits and robust technology.

A Local Touch in Bloom Corp’s Cheesecake

A major highlight of this year’s exhibition was Bloom Corp, which successfully secured the "Favorite Winner" title. The team presented an innovative functional cheesecake utilizing purple sweet potato and tape singkong (fermented cassava) as raw materials—both of which are prominent local food commodities in West Java.

Anasya, a member of the Bloom Corp team, shared the challenges behind their development process. "The biggest challenge was determining the perfect formulation for the cheesecake batter," she explained. She noted that the team worked meticulously to ensure the flavors of the purple sweet potato and fermented cassava harmonized perfectly to remain palatable for consumers. Winning the favorite title was the most memorable moment for the team, as their product was directly chosen by visitors as the top booth and product of the event.

Exploring Innovation: From Vegetables to Plant-Based Cheese

The enthusiasm for the exhibition was also shared by the attendees, including Khiren, a Food Engineering student from the class of 2023. According to her, the event was highly engaging as it allowed students to explore various facets of food engineering, including production processes, nutritional content, and future urgency. "This event truly opened my eyes to the power of food innovation in solving various food-related issues," Khiren remarked.

Khiren also highlighted a particularly "mind-blowing" product: a plant-based cheese by Silkeez made from cauliflower. She expressed her admiration for the team's ability to utilize a vegetable that is often disliked and transform it into a high-demand product like cheese. This product is seen as having great potential to add nutritional value and serve as a solution for nutritional challenges in Indonesia through a plant-based approach.

Appreciation from Industry Practitioners

The quality of the products showcased also earned high praise from the external judges in attendance, including Agus Hariyanto (Product Development Department Head at PT Garudafood Putra Putri Jaya Tbk.) and Stephanie Gabrielle, S.T. (Â鶹ֱ²¥ Food Engineering Alumna 2018, representing the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry/Kadin).

The judges commended the innovative designs and concepts developed by the students. In their feedback, they noted that the event was exceptionally well-organized and served as an effective incubator for the next generation of innovators in the Indonesian food industry.

Supervised by lecturers Dr. Ir. Dianika Lestari, S.T., M.T. and Burhannudin, S.T., M.Sc., PDEng, Ph.D., this event is expected to continue fostering the spirit of innovation among students to create impactful solutions for national food security.

Reporter: Ahza Asadel Hananda Putra, (Food Engineering, 2021)