SERDANG, 6 August 2026 – The Faculty of Food Science and Technology (FSTM), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), organized the Food Analysis Training 2026 from August 4 to 6, 2026, in collaboration with the ASEAN Secretariat and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), Japan.

Program Coordinator, Associate Professor Dr. Nurul Shazini Ramli, said the program was implemented under the Human Resources Development Project in Food-Related Areas through Partnership with Universities in the ASEAN Region to enhance participants' knowledge and technical skills in the field of food analysis.

“This program focuses on determining the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) content in rice using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Through a combination of lectures and practical training, participants had the opportunity to learn the entire analysis process, starting from sample preparation and extraction to instrument operation and data interpretation,” she said.

The three-day program comprised online lectures on the first day, followed by hands-on practical training at Food Lab 3, FSTM, on the second and third days. A total of 30 in-person participants from universities, government agencies, industry, and testing laboratories attended the practical training. The program also received 60 online registrations from participants in Malaysia and other countries.

The opening ceremony was officiated by the Dean of FSTM, Prof. Dr. Anis Shobirin Meor Hussin. Also present were the Head of the Department of Food Science, Associate Professor Dr. Rashidah Sukor; ASEAN Secretariat representatives, Ms. Shahnaz Chantika and Mr. Takefumi Sonoda; as well as MAFF Japan representatives, Ms. Eriko Nagata and Ms. Yoshie Seike.

The lecture content covered the concept of functional foods, the function of GABA in food, methods for determining GABA in rice, and an introduction to Japanese Agricultural Standards (JAS). The delivery of the lectures was supported by consecutive Japanese–English translation to ensure participants could comfortably follow the technical content.

The practical training sessions were conducted by Mr. Jun Takizawa from the Nagano Prefecture General Industrial Technology Center (Nagano Nokoken), Japan, and Dr. Desmond Sim from Shimadzu (Asia Pacific) Pte. Ltd. Participants received direct exposure to sample preparation processes, GABA extraction, HPLC instrument operation, and analytical data interpretation.

This approach enabled participants to understand the entire analytical workflow, from sample preparation to the evaluation of results. Participants were also exposed to the importance of implementing analytical methods that are precise, consistent, and compliant with quality assurance procedures.

Associate Professor Dr. Nurul Shazini added that the program provided a platform for sharing knowledge and expertise among academics, government officials, laboratory analysts, and industry representatives from Malaysia and ASEAN countries.