"BESt Balls" Research Innovation Won Gold Medal at MTE 2023 Event
[unsoed.ac.id, Mon, 27/03/23] The delegation of Universitas Jenderal Soedirman (Unsoed) made a remarkable achievement at the MTE 2023 (Malaysia Technology Expo). BESt Team, which is the Unsoed Delegation Team, won the Gold Medal at the International Competition.
BESt Team was led by Nisrina Khoirunnisa Salsabila (Agribusiness AJ22), and members Gina Rodatul J. (Agribusiness AJ22), Sidik Prasetyo (Agrotechnology 22), Fitri Ayu Puspita S. (Chemistry 20), Yasmin Aulia R. (Psl 22) under the guidance of Indah Setiawati, S.P., M.P.
Nisrina said MTE 2023 was held virtually through the Ibentos platform and Zoom Meeting and Live at the World Trade Center, Kuala Lumpur on March 16-18, 2023. There are 16 categories of innovation in the competition. This event was attended by a total of 17 countries with more than 500 innovation works. BESt Team competed online and presented their research innovation, BESt Balls. The innovation successfully ranked 2nd in its category as a Gold Medal Awardee.
"The scientific research innovation presented by the BESt Team in the competition is entitled "BESt Balls: Biodegradable, Eco-friendly, Sustainable Balls for the Alternative to Styrofoam" with the category Protection of the Environment, Energy, Water, Wastewater, Sanitation & Green Technology," she explained.
She added that BESt Balls was an innovation of packing material in the form of balls whose main material is made from corn cob waste. BESt Balls were made as an innovation to replace Styrofoam and bubble wrap that is environmentally friendly because it can be bio-degraded (Biodegradable) when disposed into nature.
BESt Balls are used to fill the empty space in the package/box so that the goods inside are safe and protected from collisions outside the package. In addition to utilizing agricultural waste (corn cobs), there are other additional materials, such as marine animal shell waste (clams, shrimp, etc.) so that the product has more functional value, namely compostable.
The shells are rich in chitosan and minerals that can be used as a bio-pesticide. "After not being used as packing material, BESt Balls are safe to be disposed into the environment due to their biodegradable nature and can be used as bio-pesticide & bio-fertilizer for plants", she concluded.