AMBON, Aug 9: Professor Dr. Fahrul Zaman bin Huyop recently concluded a five-day visit (5-9 August 2024) to the Faculty of Teacher Training and Education (FKIP) at Universitas Pattimura (Unpatti) in Ambon, Indonesia, where he led a research discussion focused on food safety and security from a nutrigenomic perspective. During his visit, Professor Fahrul provided valuable insights into Malaysia’s government policies on food safety and security, alongside his own research on the nutrigenomics of honey products from both Malaysia and Indonesia.

Significantly, Professor Fahrul’s visit marked the first time a Malaysian scholar has visited Unpatti in Ambon. The Maluku Islands, known for their rich biodiversity, offer vast potential for nutrigenomic research. Endemic plants such as sago, clove, and nutmeg, along with the widely cultivated corn, present promising opportunities for further exploration and development.

The faculty at Unpatti expressed a strong interest in collaborating with researchers from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), particularly in the Biosciences field. This potential partnership aims to foster innovation, address existing research gaps, and develop strategic collaborations. Professor Fahrul’s visit was timely, as it provided an opportunity to discuss the development of special superfoods using local plantations with Ambonese academics at FKIP.

Professor Dr. Izaak Hendrik Wenno, S.Pd., M.Pd., Dean of FKIP, warmly welcomed Professor Fahrul. The visit was initiated by Professor Hermalina Sinay, who has known Professor Fahrul for several years since attending the International Conference on Biosciences & Medical Engineering (ICBME2023) in Bali, where she was an invited speaker. Professor Sinay has also contributed to the Journal of Tropical Life Science, based at Universitas Brawijaya.