Jakarta, 05 November 2025 – Students from i3L’s Food Science & Nutrition program won first place at the Food Olympics Competition with their groundbreaking research on how to change the way on how to reformulate sugar in biscuits.

A group of outstanding students from i3L University’s Food Science & Nutrition program has done something amazing: they won First Place in the very competitive Food Olympics Competition (Food Olympics) held by HIMFOODTECH BINUS University.

The prestigious national competition took place from September 18 to October 24 and was centered on the important and timely topic of “Creating Low Sugar and Nutritious Sweets as a Healthier Snack for Children and Teenagers.”

Tackling a Global Health Crisis with Cutting-Edge Research

Miss Widya Indriani, S.T.P., M.Sc (Med.Sci.), a faculty member, mentored the i3L team’s winning research. It resulted in a systematic review paper called “Addressing Childhood and Adolescent Obesity Through Sugar Reformulation: A Systematic Review On The Potential of Nypa Fruticans, Erythritol and Stevia As Natural Sweeteners in Biscuits.”

This study perfectly fits with the competition’s goal of fighting the growing problems of obesity in children and teens and diet-related diseases that can’t be spread by contact. It does this by promoting strategies for replacing sugar.

Key components of the research topic included:

• Focus on Sugar Substitutes: The study focused on the possible benefits of three specific sugar substitutes:
  • Nypa Fruticans (Nipah Palm Sap): A natural, local source of sweetness.
  • Erythritol: A sugar alcohol (polyol) used as a low-calorie sweetener.
  • Stevia: A zero-calorie natural sweetener

• Application: The research assessed the feasibility and effectiveness of these replacements in sweet confectionery applications, specifically biscuits, due to their popularity as a snack among children and teenagers.
• Assessment Criteria: The systematic review provided a comparative basis by evaluating the sugar replacements across three critical aspects: nutritional, sensorial, and physicochemical properties, to determine their best potential for future biscuit applications in Indonesia.

The competition’s grand finale, held at Binus Alam Sutera, saw the i3L team successfully present their scientific paper findings, ultimately earning them the top spot against strong competition.

A Great Win Against Top Universities

The i3L team’s win is especially remarkable because the top five finalists in the competition were each very outstanding:

1. i3L University (1st place)
2. Universitas Sebelas Maret Surakarta
3. Politeknik Negeri Jember
4. Universitas Katolik Soegijapranata
5. IPB University Bogor

Reflections on the Journey: Teamwork and Encouragement

Tiffany, Emeryll, and Charlotte, who were all part of the student team, expressed of how excited and thankful they were for the experience.

Tiffany was very happy and thankful, and she stressed on how much she learned from the teachers, other competitors, and teammates. “I am really proud of my team that we were able to get through the process that happens during midterms. We did everything on time and with great teamwork,” she said, strongly encouraging other students to compete for the new experiences and excitement they offer.

Emeryll agreed, saying she was “completely grateful for the award and the experience itself.” She called the trip a “fruitful learning journey” that taught them how to do systematic reviews, write a research paper, and make presentations. She strongly suggests looking into competition opportunities, saying, “even though it might get busy, it was worth it in the end.”

Charlotte felt that the win was “very exciting but also surprising.” She liked the whole thing, from coming up with ideas to practicing the presentation. Even though it was hard to balance the competition with midterm exams, she said that their advisor’s help and their great teamwork were what made them successful. Charlotte ended by saying, “By joining this competition, I can meet new people and learn more about other people’s presentation topics.” She thought that these kinds of activities are good for deepening understanding in one’s field of interest.

Winning first place at the Food Olympics Competition shows how good the research is in i3L University’s Food Science & Nutrition program. It also shows how hard the students and faculty work to solve important public health and food innovation problems.