A team of students from the Ho Chi Minh City branch of Foreign Trade University captured first prize at the Student Innovation Showcase 2026 held in Singapore. Their winning entry, called SENBAO, is a smart food‑wrapping film made from lotus by‑products.

The Student Innovation Showcase 2026 attracted almost 300 university projects from around the world, but only 15 were chosen to present in Singapore. The event was organized around United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12, which promotes responsible consumption and production.

SENBAO’s film not only biodegrades, but it also contains sensors that change colour when food begins to spoil, giving a clear visual cue of freshness. This technology directly addresses food safety concerns while using material that would otherwise be waste.

The team says the film could replace conventional non‑biodegradable packaging, help preserve food longer, improve safety, cut down waste and support a circular economy by giving new value to agricultural residues. These goals align with the aims of Sustainable Development Goal 12.

The success of SENBAO demonstrates how Vietnamese university students can turn local agricultural waste into innovative, market‑ready solutions that meet global sustainability standards. Their achievement encourages more young researchers to pursue eco‑friendly inventions.