UNDIP – At the finale of 2024, Mohamad Endy Julianto, S.T., M.T., a lecturer in the Industrial Chemical Engineering Technology (Teknologi Rekayasa Kimia Industri / TRKI) Program at the Vocational School of Universitas Diponegoro (UNDIP), achieved another remarkable milestone. Endy, as he is fondly called, received an award as the second-highest contributor of granted patents at UNDIP. This recognition honors his contributions to generating intellectual property (IP) through innovative research in technology and community-based product development.
One of Endy’s most notable works, which he carried out with his research team, is the innovation of caffeine-free green tea. This innovation was developed through a study titled “Development of a Biothermal Microwave Process for Producing Collagen-Modified Caffeine-Free Green Tea Nano-polyphenols.” Funded by the Education Fund Management Agency (Lembaga Pengelola Dana Pendidikan / LPDP) under the Research and Innovation Program for Advanced Indonesia (Program Riset dan Inovasi untuk Indonesia Maju / RIIM) scheme of the National Research and Innovation Agency (Badan Riset dan Inovasi Nasional / BRIN), the research was a collaboration involving fellow researchers Hermawan Dwi Ariyanto, S.T., M.Sc, Ph.D.; Dr. Indah Hartati; Didik Ariwibowo, S.T., M.T.; and several students, including Elsan Febiyanti, Nurika Nazilatul Ilmi, Deas Oky Pratama, and Nadya Fitria Azzahra.
In his research, Endy explained the extraordinary benefits of polyphenols in green tea, which include antioxidant, anticancer, antihypertensive, and anti-obesity properties. However, the widespread consumption of green tea is often hindered by its caffeine content, particularly for functional food products. To address this, the research team developed a microwave blanching process that removes caffeine while preserving bioactive components.
“This process also allows caffeine to be extracted as an additional nutraceutical product,” Endy noted. However, challenges arose due to the instability of polyphenols in alkaline and high-temperature environments, which significantly reduces their bioavailability when digested.
To overcome these challenges, Endy and his team introduced nanoencapsulation technology using collagen-modified liposome biopolymers. Inspired by the slippery and flexible characteristics of eels, collagen was chosen as the base material to protect polyphenols during digestion.
“This technology enhances the bioavailability and release efficiency of active compounds by 15–250 times. Using collagen-based nanoliposomes ensures the stability of polyphenols, even at temperatures up to 50°C,” Endy explained. This modification also allows the active compounds to target the body cells that require them precisely.
The research, which involved collaboration between UNDIP researchers, students, and industry partners, is expected to be commercialized as a competitive premium caffeine-free green tea product. Partnerships with Pusat Penelitian Teh dan Kina (PPTK) Gambung also open opportunities to integrate research outcomes into the food and health industries.
“We hope this innovation will provide widespread benefits to the community, particularly as a healthy diet solution and an alternative for those requiring low-caffeine consumption,” Endy concluded with optimism.
The Granted Patent Award received by Endy is a testament to his dedication and tangible contributions to advancing research and education quality. Universitas Diponegoro hopes this achievement inspires more academics to produce high-impact innovations in the future. (Endy-SV; ed. DHW)
