Students from Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) continue to develop their innovations in the Student Creativity Program (PKM). Among them is Misfa Shafwah Zahidah, a student from the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) at UNAIR. Along with her team members, Andini Maulidiyah Rachma and Sofia Naisa Hidayat from FEB, Amelia Safira Putri from the Faculty of Pharmacy (FF), and Mochammad Fahd Ali Hillaby from the Faculty of Advanced Multidisciplinary Technology (FTMM), Misfa developed an innovative product through the Entrepreneurship Student Creativity Program (PKM-K). Impressively, Misfa and her team secured PKM funding for their innovative proposal.
Misfa and her team, named Team ODORE, created a product called ODORE: A Biodegradable Odor Remover and Antibacterial Innovation Utilizing Corn Cob Waste (Zea mays) and Coffee Grounds (Coffea sp). “Since the PKM-K output must be a product, our product is a multifunctional antibacterial odor remover. Primarily, it can be placed in items that are smelly and damp, such as shoes and storage boxes. This product can also be hung with clothes,” Misfa explained.
Unique Idea and Innovation
Starting from a team member who was sensitive to odors, Misfa and her colleagues decided to create a unique and novel product. They took the initiative to utilize available materials around them.
“The interesting part of ODORE is its main ingredients. Here, we use corn cob waste and coffee grounds. Indonesia, as a producer of corn and coffee, generates a lot of waste. Instead of burning or discarding it, which pollutes the environment, we thought it could be processed further,” she continued.
ODORE is also easy to use. Misfa explained that once ODORE is placed in items like shoes or storage boxes, it absorbs moisture while providing a pleasant coffee and spice aroma.
Additionally, Misfa stated that ODORE, as its name suggests, uses biodegradable packaging. ODORE’s packaging is designed to be an easily decomposable pouch made from wood shavings, making it more environmentally friendly due to its organic nature. The biodegradable claim is supported by the fact that ODORE components are formulated to be broken down by enzymes produced by living organisms, thus preventing environmental pollution from waste.
Teamwork and Full Support
As the team leader, Misfa is responsible for overseeing the overall performance of her team. To optimize this, Misfa divided her team into four roles: production, marketing, design and publication, and finance. Misfa acknowledged that the harmony and good cooperation within her team contributed significantly to the success of their PKM project.
Finally, Misfa revealed the support she received from both her supervising lecturer and the university. “Alhamdulillah, I and my team have Pak Angga Erlando as our supervising lecturer. He is very responsive and critical. His inputs have been incredibly helpful to us,” said the FEB student from the 2022 cohort.
“UNAIR itself truly facilitates and supports us. From the initial proposal preparation, we were informed about the systematic approach, and there was administrative guidance. After securing funding, UNAIR provided training, monitoring and evaluation activities, and several checklists, so we didn’t feel like we were working alone,” she elaborated.