Medan, September 30, 2026 – The series of The 4th TALENTA-Agricultural Summer Course 2026 once again presented an International Public Lecture entitled “Smart and Sustainable Agri-Food Systems: From Local Wisdom to Global Solutions” on Wednesday (September 30, 2026). This activity was the second public lecture in the summer course series, organized with Universiti Malaya as an international partner and attended by participants from Indonesia and Malaysia.

This public lecture focused on Food Technology and Food Science, featuring Dr. Wahyu Haryati Maser, S.TP., M.Si., a lecturer of the Undergraduate Program in Food Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Sumatera Utara (FP USU), as the speaker. The activity was moderated by Siti Basyariah Putri Lubis, S.TP., M.Si., a lecturer of the Undergraduate Program in Food Technology, FP USU.

In her presentation, Dr. Wahyu discussed the topic entitled “Potential of Selective Green Leafy Vegetables As Antidiabetic, Antioxidant, and Anti-obesity Agents: Characterization Studies, Enhancement of Properties, and Food Application.” The material discussed the potential of various green leafy vegetables as sources of bioactive compounds that have the potential to provide antioxidant, antidiabetic, and anti-obesity activities.

The research presented covered the effects of extraction solvents and drying methods on the phenolic content and bioactive activities of vegetables. In addition, the optimization of the extraction process using ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) to obtain extracts with optimal alpha-glucosidase inhibitory activity was also discussed.

The research findings were then directed toward food applications through the development of cracker biscuits enriched with a combination of green leafy vegetable extracts. This development demonstrated opportunities to utilize local food ingredients through technology and innovation to produce value-added food products.

Through this public lecture, participants gained insights into the relationship between research, food technology, and the utilization of local resources in supporting the development of smart and sustainable food systems. The activity also served as a space for exchanging academic knowledge and experiences among participants from Indonesia and Malaysia.

The 4th TALENTA-Agricultural Summer Course 2026 involves the Undergraduate Program in Agrotechnology, Master's Program in Agrotechnology, Undergraduate Program in Agrotechnology at the North Nias Regency Campus, Undergraduate Program in Food Technology, Master's Program in Food Science, and Doctoral Program in Agricultural Sciences of the Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Sumatera Utara, with Universiti Malaya as an international partner.

This activity supports the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) through the development of food innovations, SDG 4 (Quality Education) through learning and knowledge exchange, SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) through the sustainable utilization of food resources, and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) through strengthening international academic collaboration.