Jakarta (ANTARA) - Head of the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM), Taruna Ikrar, has said that Indonesia has rich sources of natural cosmetics ingredients, both in terms of flora and fauna, as well as minerals.
"Based on the data we have, the potential is very large. We have sources of raw materials or ingredients to make cosmetics," he expounded at the opening of the Indonesia Cosmetics Ingredients (ICI) Expo & Seminar 2025 in Jakarta on Wednesday.
He noted that Indonesia has unique species of flora and fauna as well as minerals that are not found in other countries. Those ingredients, which are used in domestic cosmetic products, have their own characteristics.
"One example is eggs and eggshells, which types are different from one country to another, considering its specific protein, hyaluronate, amino acids, collagen (content), and so on," he explained.
Recently, researchers from the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) developed an innovative anti-aging serum using eggshells.
During their research, they found that eggshell membranes contain several compounds such as hyaluronic acid, proteins, amino acids, and collagen that can be used in cosmetics.
"Following the research, the researchers from ITB are ready to register their product with BPOM," Ikrar informed.
In addition to egg shells, he said, frangipani flowers are often used as cosmetics ingredients since they contain substances that can prevent acne growth and smoothen the skin.
"If mixed with water that contains high zinc, it is quite good to extract (acne) and has the specifications to produce medicine so that acne can quickly burst and disappear, without leaving a scar," he explained.
Currently, the government is trying to downstream domestic cosmetics ingredients through collaboration with academics and businesses.
"We want our vast natural resources to be developed by the industry, in collaboration with educational institutions or universities. The government will participate in the downstreaming by certifying the product as our superior product," Ikrar informed.
