USU PHARMACY HUMAS — Pharmacy lecturers at the Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) process orange peel waste into raw materials for skin-lightening body scrubs and eco-enzymes. This innovation was implemented with the Wanita Tani Tangguh Group in Karang Gading Village, Secanggang, Langkat, as a form of community service activity.
Dwi Lestari P, S.Si., M.Si., Apt led this community service activity, accompanied by team members Prof. Dr. Julia Reveny, M.Si., Apt. (Pharmacy lecturer), Dr. Rony Abdi Syahputra, S.Farm., M.Farm. (Pharmacy lecturer), and Rahmi Utami, S.T., M.T. (lecturer in Environmental Engineering) was carried out on Friday, (21/10).
The team leader explained that orange peels contain essential oils as antiseptic, adstringent, hemostatic, restorative, and tonic; and contain flavonoids as antibacterial, which can inhibit the growth of Staphylococcus aureus. Orange peels that are dried and mashed function as skin exfoliating, exfoliating dead skin to give a clean effect and brighten skin color. That’s what underlies the processing of orange peels into raw materials for cosmetic body scrubs with the aim of treatment.
Dwi also revealed that fresh orange waste can be utilized as raw material to make eco-enzyme, which results from fermentation of organic waste, thus reducing the amount of organic waste. Eco-enzyme is produced through fermentation of a mixture of brown sugar, water, and fruit waste, including fresh orange peels.
The fermentation takes approximately 3 months, resulting in dark brown liquid eco-enzyme and orange waste residue. The residue is used as organic fertilizer, while the liquid eco-enzyme, resulting from fruit waste fermentation, is used as a floor cleaner, disinfectant liquid, and insecticide.
The Wanita Tani Tangguh Group of Karang Gading Village, Secanggang, Langkat, was directed to process orange peel waste combined with turmeric rhizomes into raw materials for a skin-brightening body scrub cosmetic product. In addition, they also received training in eco-enzyme production from abundant orange waste. The hope is to increase the knowledge and skills of the Wanita Tani Tangguh Group in Karang Gading Village, Secanggang, Langkat, and the local community in processing orange peel waste and developing better products.
The head of this group appreciated the community service activities, “We are grateful for the presence of lecturers and students so that our members get new knowledge about the utilization of fruits that are still good but not sold because of fruit caterpillars. We hope this community service can continue,” he said.
The team leader conveyed that this community service program was carried out on 3 September 2022 and will continue with monitoring activities throughout October and November.