Kuala Nerus – A team of Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) researchers was announced as the overall winner at the Research and Innovation Week 2024 (MPI2024) that took place 29 – 30 May.

The team was handed the award for its innovation titled ZooNutri Pre-Feed System.

Led by Assoc. Prof. Ts. Dr Wan Nurul Nadiah Wan Rasdi, the UMT team competed against 374 other contestants from public universities, private colleges, and schools from around the country including Sabah and Sarawak.

The award-winning innovation by the team enables zooplanktons to be maximally produced at a low cost.

“ZooNutri Pre-Feed System is a large-scale zooplankton culture system that uses fermented food. The food is channelled directly from a food tank to a culture tank to maximize the production of zooplankton, which indirectly reduces the operations cost in a long term at hatcheries, farms, and nurseries.

The senior lecturer with the Faculty of Fisheries and Food Science said that the core principle applied in the system is all-in-one culture system, comprising a food tank, a culture tank, and a harvesting system.

“This innovative culture technique has just been introduced to the aquaculture industry to help farmers produce live feed by themselves without relying only on natural resources. The technique helps increase the production of zooplanktons with minimal use of tanks, space, and time. In addition, it may be implemented with minimal number of staff, is easy to manage and harvested, and may fulfil the demand for fish and larva food at hatcheries.

She added that the excess zooplanktons produced by the system have been mixed with gelatine to last longer and these can be used as food for fish, prawns, and crabs. The product is called Jelly Daphnia Cubic.  

Ts. Dr. Nadiah and her team also showcased Jelly Daphnia Cubic at MPI2024 and the product led to the team winning a Gold award.

The product can conveniently be used as food for juvenile fish as well as adult fish.

Meanwhile, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research & Innovation) Prof. Chm. Dr. Marinah Mohd Ariffin said MPI2024 is held to acknowledge researchers and encourage the public to innovate.

“The event with the theme Creative and Innovative Ideas Leading to Sustainable Development not only allows researchers to showcase their creativity and innovative ideas, but it also serves as a platform to offer solutions to the world’s problems,” said Prof. Marinah in her speech during the closing ceremony at UMT’s Sultan Mizan Hall.

Also present during the ceremony were UNISZA Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic and International) Prof. Dr. Zuhairah Ariff Abd Ghadads and UCTATI Deputy Rector (Academic and Internationalisation) Ts. Dr. Mohd Najib Muhamed.

MPI2024 served as a platform for providing exposure and recognition to creative and innovative researchers who created the best of products and a support for aspiration of the National Science, Technology & Innovation Policy to establish an inclusive science, technology, innovation, and economic (STIE) ecosystem.

Published by:

Corporate Communications Office

Universiti Malaysia Terengganu