Jakarta, INTI - Badan Riset dan Inovasi Nasional (BRIN) has developed a phantom-based irradiation method using artificial fruit materials to strengthen the standardization of phytosanitary irradiation for Gedong mango export commodities.
Researcher at BRIN’s Research Center for Nuclear Safety Technology, Metrology, and Quality (PR-TKMMN), Okky Agassy Firmansyah, explained that the mango phantom was designed as a representative medium for radiation dose measurement during pre-irradiation stages and quality control processes.
“This phantom is an artificial fruit designed to have radiation absorption characteristics similar to real mangoes. As a result, audit processes, dose mapping, and irradiation testing at facilities can still be conducted even when fresh fruit is unavailable, especially outside the mango harvest season,” Okky stated in Jakarta on Tuesday.
Supporting Fresh Fruit Export Standards
Okky explained that phytosanitary irradiation is one of the quarantine methods used to ensure exported fruit is free from plant pests such as fruit flies, mango seed borers, red-banded mango caterpillars, and mealybugs.
According to him, export destination countries apply strict standards to prevent pests from entering and disrupting their domestic agricultural sectors.
“This innovation is expected to strengthen Indonesia’s fruit export quality assurance system, particularly in meeting the requirements of export destination countries for fresh products such as Australia,” he said.
In the irradiation process, facilities are required to ensure that all parts of the fruit receive a minimum dose of 400 Gray (Gy) and do not exceed 1,000 Gy to effectively mitigate pests without damaging fruit quality.
Developed Using 3D Printing Technology
BRIN developed the mango phantom using liquid resin materials and 3D printing technology, applying an approach that matches the radiation interaction characteristics of the phantom material with real fruit.
The research team conducted dose measurements at three representative points within the fruit: the surface, middle, and lower sections.
“The test results showed that the dosimetry difference between the original Gedong mango and the phantom was only around 2 percent under gamma irradiation. This value remains within the acceptable range, meaning the phantom can be used as a representation of real mangoes for dose testing,” Okky explained.
The research findings were published in the journal Radiation Physics and Chemistry under the title Development and Characterization of a 3D-Printed Gedong Mango Phantom for Dose Measurement in Gamma Ray Phytosanitary Irradiation.
In addition, the mango phantom innovation has obtained Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) protection with copyright registration number 000845287.
Moving forward, BRIN plans to continue developing the research for testing using other radiation modalities such as electron beam technology, as radiation interaction characteristics differ between gamma rays and electron radiation.
Conclusion
Badan Riset dan Inovasi Nasional continues to advance innovation in agricultural and nuclear technology through the development of a 3D-printed mango phantom for phytosanitary irradiation testing. The innovation is expected to strengthen the standardization and quality assurance of Indonesia’s fresh fruit exports while supporting more efficient, reliable, and sustainable irradiation processes for international trade requirements.
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