My research focuses on the intricate relationships between micronutrient deficiencies, food safety, and toxin exposure within Southeast Asia’s rapidly changing food systems. I am particularly interested in how dietary toxins such as aflatoxins can impair the absorption and metabolism of essential micronutrients like zinc, thereby exacerbating malnutrition and growth impairment among vulnerable populations. Using in vitro gastrointestinal digestion models coupled with Caco-2 intestinal cell assays and ICP-OES/ICP-MS analysis, my current research aims to elucidate the mechanisms by which aflatoxin reduces zinc bioaccessibility and bioavailability in commonly consumed Indonesian foods under various cooking and processing conditions. This approach not only clarifies nutrient–toxin interactions at the cellular and molecular levels but also provides quantitative data that can inform public health nutrition policies.
My previous thesis, I was developing an interest in novel nutrient delivery systems, particularly encapsulation of Vitamin D using complex lipid–protein matrices, to enhance its stability, bioavailability, and controlled release in food applications. Vitamin D deficiency is widespread in Southeast Asia despite abundant sunlight, due to low dietary intake and cultural dietary patterns; therefore, improving its delivery through functional foods can represent a sustainable intervention. My future work aims to combine encapsulation technologies with micronutrient fortification strategies that consider real-world factors such as toxin presence, food processing, and local dietary behaviors.
Integrating these lines of inquiry, my broader goal is to bridge food science, nutrition, and toxicology to understand how environmental contaminants and food processing jointly affect nutrient status and health outcomes. I aim to generate evidence that can guide nutrition-sensitive food safety frameworks, particularly in countries where the double and triple burden of malnutrition coexist with increasing risks of mycotoxin contamination due to climate variability and post-harvest challenges. By linking laboratory-based findings with policy analysis and public health strategies, my research seeks to support the development of safe, nutrient-rich, and accessible food systems for Southeast Asian populations.