Penta Pristijono

Dr. Penta Pristijono is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, where he teaches food science and food quality management. He holds a PhD in Food Science and a Master of Food Technology from the University of Newcastle. His research focuses on developing innovative postharvest technologies to extend the storage life of fruits and vegetables, with particular expertise in delaying ripening, controlling pathogens, and reducing enzymatic browning.

Pristijono's research interests center on horticultural postharvest technology, including edible coatings, UV-C irradiation, essential oils, and nitric oxide applications. His investigations span both fundamental mechanisms of fruit senescence and practical solutions to reduce food waste across the supply chain. He maintains active collaborations with industry partners including NSW DPI to translate research findings into practical applications.

His recent publications demonstrate a consistent focus on sustainable postharvest treatments, with emerging work on nutritional aspects of food science. Research trends show increasing attention to natural preservatives, non-chemical treatments, and molecular mechanisms underlying postharvest quality preservation.

Scientific Awards:

• Safety Leader Award (2023)
• Outstanding Contribution to Teaching Award (2022)
• Research Supervision Excellence Award (2021)
• Australia China Young Scientist Exchange Award (2019)

Pristijono has supervised multiple doctoral candidates investigating citrus preservation, postharvest treatments, and food science applications. His research has been funded through grants from the Australian Research Council and NSW Department of Industry, supporting projects on citrus quality maintenance and innovative UV-C applications.

He oversees laboratory facilities for postharvest research and collaborates with Dr. John Golding at NSW DPI on developing practical postharvest solutions for the horticulture industry.