Unhas Nutrition Service Unit Showcases 'Smart Practice' in Food Preparation

Makassar (ANTARA) - The Nutrition Fulfilment Service Unit (SPPG) of Hasanuddin University (Unhas) is being utilised as a learning and innovation laboratory capable of producing best practices and smart practices to support the sustainability of the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme. Head of Public Relations at the Unhas Rector’s Secretariat Office, Ishaq Rahman, said in Makassar on Friday that the Unhas SPPG is designed as a pilot model integrating governance, nutritional standards, food safety, and human resource development. Its presence not only functions as a production and distribution unit for nutritious food, but also as a learning and innovation laboratory that can generate best practices and smart practices to support the sustainability of the MBG programme. Unhas has also opened space for participation, criticism, and public oversight. Students, academics, and civil society are encouraged to engage through research, scientific studies, policy evaluation, and supervision of the production, distribution, and governance processes. This openness is part of a commitment to transparency and accountability. He stressed that the management of the SPPG is not a form of campus commercialisation. “This programme is oriented towards academic and social contribution, not profit-seeking. This is achieved through the involvement of the academic community and the public in research, evaluation, and oversight,” he said. He explained that the Unhas SPPG is administratively managed by the Metavisi Akademika Foundation, a non-profit institution owned by Unhas. The foundation has been established for 20 years, focusing on managing social activities such as the campus mosque, early childhood education, and primary education. The SPPG kitchen was built on a vacant area within the campus grounds. The construction of the building and supporting facilities involved Unhas partners, including through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) schemes from private companies. Through this scheme, the kitchen construction budget did not burden Unhas. Besides paying attention to production aspects, the SPPG kitchen also maintains very strict standards for supporting facilities and infrastructure. One area of focus is the waste treatment mechanism. The Unhas SPPG is equipped with a Wastewater Treatment Plant (IPAL) with a capacity of 10 cubic metres using the latest technology, whereas a kitchen of a similar capacity typically only requires a 3 cubic metre system. The presence of the SPPG Unhas has also encouraged the formation of a unique nutrition fulfilment supply chain ecosystem. Since its inauguration on 28 April 2026, various units within Unhas have participated according to their respective capacities. For raw food material supply, vegetables are provided by the Faculty of Agriculture, while oyster mushrooms come from the Faculty of Forestry. Meanwhile, the Faculty of Animal Husbandry supplies broiler chicken meat, free-range and commercial chicken eggs, and processed beef. The Faculty of Marine Science and Fisheries is currently preparing to participate by supplying tilapia fish and processed fillets.