Visiting Professor Series: Department of Community Nutrition at IPB University Hosts Visiting Professor Program in Collaboration with Kasetsart University

The Department of Community Nutrition, Faculty of Human Ecology (FEMA), IPB University, successfully held a series of inbound and outbound activities as part of the Visiting Professor Program. Supported by IPB University’s International Research Institute for Food, Nutrition, and Health and the 2024 PUAPT grant, the program aims to enhance international academic collaboration.

For the inbound session, the department hosted guest lecturer Assoc Prof Wannee Jirapakkul from the Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Agro-Industry, Kasetsart University, Thailand. The activities included a workshop titled The Role of Chromatography in Food Analysis and guest lectures for IPB University’s undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programs in nutrition.

In her opening remarks, Dr. Zuraidah Nasution, Secretary of the Department of Community Nutrition, expressed hope that this activity would benefit students, especially those involved in research using gas chromatography (GC) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). “Following our previous workshops on food and nutrition policies, this workshop aims to assist students and faculty engaged in laboratory research. We hope today’s material will aid in developing analytical methods, particularly with GC and HPLC,” Dr. Zuraidah remarked.

On the first day of the workshop, Assoc Prof Wannee Jirapakkul covered the components, principles, and analytical methods of GC and HPLC. The interactive session was attended by faculty members and students from IPB University’s nutrition program. The second day featured a lab demo at PT Ditek Jaya in Jakarta, where participants gained hands-on experience with GC and HPLC instruments.

The outbound session followed, with seven graduate students from IPB University’s Nutrition Program selected to attend a training program at Kasetsart University in Thailand from September 26–27, 2024. Accompanied by Prof. Rimbawan, Dr. Zuraidah Nasution, and laboratory staff, the participants engaged in hands-on training with guidance from Assoc Prof Wannee Jirapakkul and her team.

On the first day, participants attended a session on green tea and anti-obesity effects, led by Asst Prof Sudathip Sae-tan, covering bioactive components, mechanisms, and testing methods. Participants practiced sample preparation, extraction, and HPLC analysis. The second day focused on nitrosamines in processed meat, guided by Assoc Prof Kanithaporn Vangnai, where participants worked on sample preparation, extraction, and analysis using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS).

This training enriched participants’ skills in chromatography-based laboratory analysis and strengthened the international academic collaboration between IPB University and Kasetsart University, supporting joint research in food and nutrition.

(*/RZ; AHM)