Supporting SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, KKN UNY Introduces Pineapple Peel Utilization through “Gabugan Berkreasi”

Students participating in the Community Service Program (Kuliah Kerja Nyata/KKN) of
Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta (UNY) carried out the “Gabugan Berkreasi” program through an
activity introducing and demonstrating the processing of pineapple peels into tepache, a
fermented beverage, in Gabugan Village, Donokerto Administrative Village, Turi District,
Sleman Regency. This activity represents one of the students’ contributions to promoting the
optimal utilization of food resources within the community while supporting the achievement of
Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12: Responsible Consumption and Production. The
program was conducted as part of the UNY KKN activities from July 20 to September 20, 2026.
The “Gabugan Berkreasi” activity was initiated in response to the potential of local food
resources that have not yet been utilized optimally, including pineapple peels, which are
generally considered an unused part of the fruit and may become food waste. Through this
activity, KKN students introduced an alternative use of pineapple peels as the main ingredient
for tepache, a fermented beverage. The activity consisted of an information session, a
demonstration of the preparation process, and product distribution to participants. Participants
were also introduced to the fermentation stages, fermentation duration, storage methods, and the
characteristics of the beverage resulting from the pineapple peel processing.
The activity received positive responses and enthusiasm from the community toward the
introduced innovation. Several participants stated that they had previously been unaware that
pineapple peels could be processed into a fermented beverage. Their enthusiasm was reflected in
questions regarding fermentation duration, the effect of fermentation time on taste, storage
methods, and product safety. Based on participants’ responses to the distributed product, the
tepache was considered to have an acceptable taste, although it had a slightly sour flavor due to
the fermentation process lasting approximately seven days. This finding served as an evaluation
that a fermentation period of approximately three to five days could be considered to achieve a
taste more suited to community preferences.
The activity aligns with SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, particularly
through efforts to promote the optimal utilization of food resources and reduce potential waste
from previously underutilized parts of fruit. Processing pineapple peels into tepache
demonstrates that materials previously considered waste can be transformed into useful products
with further development potential. In addition to producing a beverage, the activity also
increased community knowledge of alternative food-processing methods and encouraged more
responsible utilization of available resources. “Through Gabugan Berkreasi, we wanted to
demonstrate that parts of fruit that are often considered waste can still be utilized to create an
interesting product with potential for further development by the community,” said one of the
UNY KKN students involved in the activity.