Professor of Animal Products Technology at the UGM Faculty of Animal Science, Professor Yuny Erwanto, has partnered with The Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology (IATA) Spain for research collaboration and publication on the development of bioactive peptides from collagen protein isolated from goats as health supplements.
IATA was established in 1966 and is a research center of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC). Located in Valencia, Spain, IATA focuses on agrochemistry and food technology research and collaborates with many campuses.
Professor Erwanto recounted the beginning of his collaboration with IATA Spain, which started with the Faculty of Animal Science programs that often holds online guest lectures inviting Fidel Toldrá, a researcher at IATA who currently has 552 documents with the highest h-index of 74 and focuses on bioactive peptides. That’s where he took the initiative to collaborate.
“We then communicated with Fidel about the science and research facilities there, and it turned out there was a match with our research regarding collagen,” said Professor Erwanto on Tuesday (May 7) at the Faculty of Animal Science.
Regarding the research he is currently focusing on, Professor Erwanto explained that gelatin is a polypeptide obtained through collagen hydrolysis, which is the largest content in animal skin, bones, and connective tissues. The collaboration on developing bioactive peptides is focused on goat and sheep skins obtained through gelatin and collagen isolation.
He said, “The proteins in this skin will later become bioactive peptides or commonly marketed as oligopeptides.”
Collagen is an essential structural protein in the body, especially in tissue formation, including skin. Professor Erwanto said that by utilizing natural collagen sources such as goat and sheep skin, researchers could identify and isolate several bioactive oligopeptides that can potentially improve health, specifically in reducing the risk of high blood pressure in this research.
According to the International Reportlinker report, Professor Erwanto mentioned that global gelatin production will reach 696.1 metric tons in 2027. Indonesia is a major importer of gelatin and collagen.
On the other hand, according to the Statistics Indonesia (BPS) report, there were 1.1 million cattle slaughterings in Indonesia in 2019, which will continue to increase. This is estimated to produce around 33,067 tons of skin or approximately 3,300 tons of gelatin.
“This potential is enough to meet domestic needs,” said Professor Erwanto.
From this international research collaboration, Professor Erwanto hopes that this collaboration can make UGM more prominent in the global research arena regarding food resilience.
“If we are used to collaborating internationally, then one of the noble goals we can achieve is not feeling inferior on the international stage, and it is a strong asset for us to achieve the developed Indonesia that we aspire to,” Professor Erwanto hoped.
Author: Dita
Editor: Gusti Grehenson