Balikpapan - What if food packaging could do more than simply wrap food, but also help indicate when a product is beginning to lose its freshness? This question inspired three students from the Food Technology Study Program at Institut Teknologi Kalimantan (ITK) to develop SUN-WRAP, a biodegradable smart packaging innovation made from natural materials.

SUN-WRAP was developed by Adam Al Farizie, Tatia Asnur Syafitri, and Meisyifa Caesariasari Sabowo under the supervision of Yuvita Lira Vesti Arista, S.T.P., M.Si. The innovation combines three materials with different functions: cassava starch as the base material for biodegradable packaging, sungkai leaf extract as a source of antimicrobial compounds, and natural pigments from purple sweet potato as an indicator of changes in food freshness.

The idea emerged from a simple yet common problem. Raw meat has a limited shelf life, while consumers and food business owners cannot always easily determine its freshness from packaging alone. At the same time, conventional plastic packaging also contributes to environmental problems because it takes a long time to decompose.

From these challenges, the team sought to develop packaging that does more than simply contain food.

“We developed SUN-WRAP as biodegradable and environmentally friendly smart packaging. Cassava starch is used as the base material, sungkai leaves serve as an antimicrobial component, while purple sweet potato is used as a natural indicator to help detect changes in the freshness of animal-based food products,” the team explained.

Purple Sweet Potato: More Than Just a Food Ingredient

One of the most interesting features of SUN-WRAP is the use of purple sweet potato as a natural freshness indicator. The natural pigment is integrated into the packaging system so that SUN-WRAP is designed not only to protect food products but also to help users obtain information about their condition.

Meanwhile, sungkai leaves, a plant closely associated with Kalimantan’s biodiversity, are utilized as a source of antimicrobial compounds. These components are then incorporated into a packaging film made from cassava starch.

Through this concept, SUN-WRAP combines the principles of active and intelligent packaging. Packaging is no longer merely a passive barrier between food and the environment, but is designed to provide additional functions in maintaining and monitoring food quality.

Turning Kalimantan’s Local Potential into Student Research

The development of SUN-WRAP involves several stages, ranging from formulation exploration and natural material extraction to prototype production and initial trials. For the team, the research also provides an opportunity to demonstrate how locally available materials can be developed into solutions for broader challenges.

The use of sungkai leaves is an important element of the research. Rather than serving merely as a regional identity, this Kalimantan-native plant is explored for its potential contribution to food packaging technology.

SUN-WRAP therefore brings together three key issues: food safety and freshness, reducing reliance on conventional plastics, and utilizing Kalimantan’s local natural resources through student-led research.

Potential to Support Food MSMEs

The team also sees potential for SUN-WRAP to be applied in the food MSME sector, particularly among businesses that use animal-based products as raw materials. Packaging capable of helping maintain freshness while providing an indication of food condition could support business owners in controlling the quality of their ingredients.

With further development, innovations such as SUN-WRAP could also contribute to reducing food waste caused by declining product quality while decreasing dependence on conventional plastic packaging that is difficult to degrade.

Beyond the Competition

SUN-WRAP was also presented at KRENOVA 2026: Creativity and Innovation, organized by the Balikpapan City Regional Development Planning, Research, and Development Agency (Bappedalitbang Balikpapan). For the team, however, the competition is not the end of the innovation journey.

They hope SUN-WRAP can continue to be developed, tested, and studied further, allowing the current prototype to mature and potentially be applied on a broader scale.

“We hope this innovation can continue to be developed and researched further,” the team said.

SUN-WRAP demonstrates how student research can begin with a straightforward question: how can we determine whether meat is still fresh while reducing the use of conventional plastic packaging? Through a combination of cassava starch, sungkai leaves, and purple sweet potato, ITK students are working to provide an innovative answer.

More than just a prototype, this research shows how local natural resources can gain new value when combined with scientific knowledge, student creativity, and real-world community needs.