The Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Gadjah Mada (Faperta UGM), concluded its Biotechnology Seminar series with a presentation by Dr. Mari Maeda-Yamamoto from the Institute of Food Research, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Japan. Her lecture, titled “Development of Functional Green Tea Using Functional Food Labeling System in Japan,” explored the evolving role of functional foods in advancing the food healthcare sector.

Dr. Maeda-Yamamoto explained that Japan has a clear and strict classification system for food products. General food products are not permitted to feature health claims. However, there are special categories such as “Foods for Special Dietary Uses” intended for patients, pregnant women, infants, or individuals with swallowing difficulties, which require inspection by the Consumer Affairs Agency (CAA). read more

The Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Gadjah Mada (Faperta UGM) began its Biotechnology Seminar series with a presentation by Prof. Hideaki Nojiri from the Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo. In his presentation, he introduced the latest screening technology capable of revealing the presence of new aromatic degraders and hidden interactions between bacteria in the environment.

Prof. Nojiri emphasized that the behavior of bacteria in nature cannot be understood from a single strain alone, but through microbial consortia working synergistically. The research, published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials, shows how bacterial communities collaborate to degrade hazardous compounds such as pyrene, opening significant opportunities for the development of bioremediation technology. read more

The Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Gadjah Mada (Faperta UGM), successfully organized a Biotechnology Seminar on Sunday, April 19, 2026, at the Venture Room, AGLC Building, 6th floor. The seminar, which took place from 09.00–11.30 WIB, featured four biotechnology experts from various prestigious institutions in Japan.

The event was attended by several leaders and lecturers from the Faculty of Agriculture, including Prof. Ir. Jaka Widada, M.P., Ph.D., as the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture; Mgs. Muhammad Prima Putra, S.Pi., M.Sc., Ph.D., as the AGLC Manager; and Desi Utami, S.P., M.Env.Sc., Ph.D., as the Head of the Undergraduate Program in Agricultural Microbiology and the moderator for the event. read more