{"id":7702,"date":"2026-06-09T16:03:49","date_gmt":"2026-06-09T09:03:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dbcl.ntt.edu.vn\/?p=7702"},"modified":"2026-07-06T08:46:42","modified_gmt":"2026-07-06T01:46:42","slug":"lecturer-from-nguyen-tat-thanh-university-wins-le-van-thoi-award-for-green-chemistry-turning-agricultural-by-products-into-sustainable-post-harvest-preservation-solutions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dbcl.ntt.edu.vn\/en\/news-events\/lecturer-from-nguyen-tat-thanh-university-wins-le-van-thoi-award-for-green-chemistry-turning-agricultural-by-products-into-sustainable-post-harvest-preservation-solutions\/","title":{"rendered":"Lecturer from Nguyen Tat Thanh University Wins Le Van Thoi Award for Green Chemistry: Turning Agricultural By-products into Sustainable Post-harvest Preservation Solutions"},"content":{"rendered":"

NTTU \u2013 From purple passion fruit peels, an agricultural by-product often discarded, a group of faculty members from the Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology at Nguyen Tat Thanh University has developed a bio-based formulation for post-harvest banana preservation. The research has been awarded the Le Van Thoi Award for Green Chemistry 2025, affirming NTTU\u2019s strengths in applied research, innovation, and sustainable development orientation.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Recently in Ho Chi Minh City, the Ho Chi Minh City Chemical Society held the closing ceremony and awarding of the second Le Van Thoi Award for Green Chemistry 2025, while also launching the 2026 season. The event brought together scientists, lecturers, businesses, research institutes, and production units working in chemistry and other related fields.<\/span><\/p>\n

At the ceremony, the research titled \u201cSynthesis of a bio-based coating derived from pectin extracted from purple passion fruit peels and agar for post-harvest banana preservation\u201d, conducted by Dr. Nguyen Thi Thuong and Ms. Pham Tran Bao Tran, lecturers of the Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology at Nguyen Tat Thanh University, was awarded the First Prize.<\/span><\/p>\n

The award is not only recognition of the group\u2019s serious research efforts but also a highlight in the university\u2019s scientific and technological activities. From a practical agricultural issue, the researchers developed a scientifically grounded solution with high application value, aligned with green chemistry, circular economy principles, and sustainable development trends.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the context of Vietnamese agriculture facing challenges such as post-harvest losses, food safety concerns, preservation costs, and environmental pressures, the research presented by the NTTU lecturer demonstrates the increasingly important role of universities in addressing pressing societal issues through scientific knowledge and innovation.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The research team of Dr. Nguyen Thi Thuong and Ms. Pham Tran Bao Tran (Faculty of Applied Science and Technology, Nguyen Tat Thanh University) won the official award with their project “Synthesis of biological preparations based on pectin membrane obtained from purple passion fruit peel and agar for post-harvest banana preservation.”<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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From NTTU Laboratories to Major Agricultural Challenges in Vietnam<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

The key highlight of the study lies in how the research team identified the problem. Instead of starting from a distant theoretical direction, the researchers began with a very practical agricultural challenge: how to preserve post-harvest fruits safely, efficiently, cost-effectively, and in an environmentally friendly way.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bananas are tropical fruits rich in nutrients, containing beneficial compounds such as vitamin C, vitamin E, \u03b2-carotene, dopamine, and gallocatechin. However, bananas have a high respiration rate, ripen quickly, spoil easily, and have a short shelf life after harvest. This makes maintaining quality from farm to consumer market a persistent challenge.<\/span><\/p>\n

In practice, some preservation methods such as cold storage or radiation treatment can be effective. However, these techniques are often costly and not easily accessible to farmers. In addition, excessive use of chemicals in post-harvest preservation poses risks to public health, food safety, and the environment.<\/span><\/p>\n

Based on this reality, the NTTU research team developed a bio-based solution: a formulation derived from pectin extracted from purple passion fruit peels combined with agar for banana preservation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Purple passion fruit is widely cultivated in Vietnam. After processing, its peel is often discarded as agricultural waste, creating environmental pressure. However, from the researchers\u2019 perspective, this by-product is not waste but a valuable raw material.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to the research team, pectin extracted from the inner peel of purple passion fruit has strong membrane-forming properties. It is a natural polysaccharide with relatively low cost and abundant availability, with potential to replace petroleum-based materials in food packaging applications. In the context of conventional plastics causing environmental issues due to poor biodegradability, utilizing pectin from agricultural waste offers scientific, economic, and environmental benefits.<\/span><\/p>\n

This approach reflects NTTU\u2019s applied research philosophy: research is not limited to laboratories but aims to create solutions that address real-world production and life challenges while contributing to sustainable development.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The process of extracting pectin from purple passion fruit peel.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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