Team NGEBUL consists of Nesha Thalia Azzahra Ginting, Herawaty Marito Purba, Azka Nurawwali Sakhiyyah, Nadifa Rhoosan, and Kamila Aulia Zahra. They competed in the final round of FPDC 2026, held as part of an exhibition at JIEXPO, Jakarta, from September 16 to 18, 2026.

The event brought participants together with food industry practitioners and professionals. In addition to presenting their innovations before the judges, finalists had the opportunity to introduce their products directly to visitors and receive feedback for further development.

Making Use of Overlooked Ingredients

POWER PUFF utilizes three food loss ingredients: visually imperfect green bananas and tomato pomace as the filling, and broken rice as the shell. According to Herawaty, these ingredients were selected because their use in food production remains limited, despite their potential for development into functional food products.

The team chose breakfast cereal because it is practical and closely associated with everyday eating habits. The innovation was designed not only to transform food loss into an edible product, but also to create food that is nutritious, convenient, enjoyable, and functional.

“Breakfast is part of our daily eating habits, so we wanted to create a practical solution,” Herawaty said.

Developing POWER PUFF involved a series of trials to arrive at the right formulation. Nesha said one of the greatest challenges was finding the right balance between nutritional value, texture, taste, and the overall characteristics of the product.

“There were several stages when we felt like we were going around in circles, because improving one aspect often caused another aspect to change,” she said.

The team then returned to the product’s main objectives and identified the parameters that needed to be maintained. Trials were conducted more systematically, with each formulation change evaluated individually.

According to Nesha, changing the team’s perspective on trial and error became an important turning point in the development of POWER PUFF.

“We stopped seeing trial and error as failure and began viewing it as part of the process of understanding our own product,” she said.

The final POWER PUFF formulation presented at the competition was therefore the result of numerous gradual refinements rather than a single successful attempt.

Questions from the Judges and Feedback from Visitors
During the question-and-answer session, the judges highlighted the shaping and filling processes for POWER PUFF, which had not yet used an extruder. Nadifa explained that limited access to the equipment meant that the product was still shaped manually at the laboratory scale.

“At the laboratory scale, we do not yet have access to an extruder, so the shaping process is still done manually,” she said.

The feedback became an important consideration for the team’s future development plans. The use of an extruder is expected to help improve production consistency while also optimizing the puffing process.

Positive responses also came from exhibition visitors. Several asked when POWER PUFF would be launched and where it might be sold. One visitor who worked at a fitness center even noted that the product could serve as a practical breakfast alternative for consumers who are mindful of maintaining a healthy diet.

The response gave the team a new perspective on the product’s potential beyond the competition. They have since begun considering opportunities to further develop and scale up POWER PUFF, although additional assessment related to production and resources is still needed.

A Lesson in Overcoming Challenges

For Azka, FPDC 2026 demonstrated that challenges that initially seemed daunting could be overcome through preparation and a consistent learning process. The team initially lacked confidence, particularly because the presentation and question-and-answer session had to be conducted in English, which they did not use regularly in everyday communication.

However, through discussion, practice, and repeated trial and error, they were able to complete the competition and secure a place on the podium.

“If we are willing to put in the effort and keep trying, things that initially seem difficult can be overcome. And of course, we should not forget to pray to God Almighty,” Azka said.

The competition also gave team members the opportunity to meet other participants, expand their networks, and gain new insights into food product development.

Looking ahead, the team hopes POWER PUFF can continue to be developed when sufficient opportunities, time, facilities, and funding become available.

“If there are better opportunities, more time, and stronger financial support in the future, we would like to further develop POWER PUFF so that it can provide broader benefits to more people,” Azka said.

Winning third place at FPDC 2026 highlights the potential of underutilized food materials, including visually imperfect green bananas, tomato pomace, and broken rice, to be transformed into value-added food products. For Team NGEBUL, the achievement also serves as an important learning experience and motivation to continue developing innovations in the food sector.