Depok, July 14, 2026 — Recent research by a doctoral graduate from the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Indonesia (FMIPA UI), has opened new opportunities for the utilization of Indonesian nutmeg as a raw material for functional foods, nutraceuticals, and phytopharmaceutical products. Using a metabolomics approach, the FMIPA UI researcher demonstrated that nutmeg samples collected from different regions of Indonesia exhibit distinct chemical profiles and in vitro bioactivities.
The findings were presented by Susilo during his doctoral dissertation defense in the Biology Doctoral Program at FMIPA UI, held at the Prof. G.A. Siwabessy Auditorium, FMIPA UI, Depok, on Wednesday (July 1, 2026). He earned his doctoral degree with the distinction of Highly Satisfactory and a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.99 through a dissertation entitled Metabolomic Profiling, Total Phenolic Content, Antioxidant Capacity, and Antibacterial Activity of Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans Houtt.) from Different Geographical Origins.
The research, supervised by Dr. rer. nat. Yasman, M.Sc. as the promoter, with Dr. Dra. Ratna Yuniati, M.Si. and Prof. Dr. Titin Siswantining, D.E.A. as co-promoters, employed Liquid Chromatography–High Resolution Mass Spectrometry (LC-HRMS) to profile the natural compounds present in nutmeg samples collected from various regions across Indonesia.
Susilo analyzed 76 nutmeg seed samples collected from 32 regencies and municipalities across 10 provinces, along with 50 mace samples from seven provinces. He also compared the metabolite profiles of different parts of the nutmeg plant, including the seeds, mace, leaves, and fruit flesh.
The study found that nutmeg samples from different geographical origins exhibited distinct metabolite profiles and bioactivities. These variations were also reflected in differences in antioxidant capacity and antibacterial activity among the regions.
The study found that nutmeg seeds from West Sumatra contained the highest total phenolic content. Samples from North Sulawesi exhibited the highest antioxidant capacity based on the DPPH and ABTS assays, while those from Aceh showed the greatest reducing power as measured by the FRAP assay. Meanwhile, nutmeg from North Maluku demonstrated notable antibacterial activity against several test bacteria, although its effectiveness varied depending on the bacterial species and extract concentration.
For nutmeg mace, samples from West Sumatra exhibited the highest total phenolic content and DPPH radical scavenging activity, while those from Southeast Sulawesi showed the highest antioxidant capacity based on the ABTS assay. Samples from Maluku demonstrated the greatest reducing power according to the FRAP assay. The study also revealed that nutmeg fruit flesh has promising potential as a natural antibacterial source, despite having been largely underutilized to date.
In addition to revealing the bioactive potential of Indonesian nutmeg, the study also putatively identified several discriminant compounds belonging to the phenylpropanoid, lignan, neolignan, and malabaricanoid groups. These compounds have the potential to serve as candidate markers for determining the geographical origin of nutmeg as well as distinguishing different plant parts. However, further validation using authentic reference standards, targeted analytical methods, and a broader sample set is still required.
According to Susilo, the metabolomics approach enables a more comprehensive assessment of nutmeg quality by examining not just a single constituent, but the complete profile of its naturally occurring compounds.
“Each region produces nutmeg with a distinct metabolite profile. These differences provide a basis for identifying the relative strengths of each production area while supporting more targeted utilization according to their respective potential,” said Susilo.
He added that the findings provide a scientific foundation for the standardization of Indonesian nutmeg as a raw material, while also enhancing the value of one of the country’s most important spice commodities.
“This research is expected to support the development of traceability and geographical authentication systems for Indonesian nutmeg, while also providing a scientific basis for the development of functional foods, nutraceuticals, and phytopharmaceutical products derived from Indonesia’s biological resources,” he said.
These findings highlight the potential of FMIPA UI research to support the sustainable utilization of Indonesia’s rich biodiversity. By leveraging advanced analytical technologies, the study is expected to provide a scientific basis for the standardization of nutmeg quality while fostering the development of functional foods, nutraceuticals, phytopharmaceuticals, and other value-added products derived from Indonesian nutmeg.
