A team of Chemical Engineering undergraduates from Xiamen University Malaysia (XMUM), advised by Assistant Professor Dr. Kua Yin Leng, won the national championship at the Insight 2025 Ignition: Case Study Competition. The event was organized by the Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) Student Chapter and took place on July 17 and 18, 2025, at the UTAR Sungai Long campus. 

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The winning team, named AXION, comprised Tan Willy, Tan Natalie, Theresa Grace, and Eunice Teoh Shu Yong. The competition's theme was Sustainable Processes in Chemical Engineering: Green Innovations for the Future. 

Team AXION's proposal, titled "Black Soldier Fly Larvae (BSFL)-Oil Oleogel System for Sustainable Delivery Vehicles of Carotenoids in Cosmetics", presented an innovative and sustainable delivery vehicle for carotenoids in skincare products. Their approach involved replacing petroleum jelly and conventional vegetable oils with a greener alternative. By using feed-tuned Black Soldier Fly Larvae (BSFL) reared on carotenoid-rich agricultural or industrial waste, high-value oil was extracted and developed into an oleogel. This oleogel acts as a carrier and stabilizer for active components in a range of food, pharmaceutical, agricultural, and cosmetic products. 

The team's work demonstrated potential in terms of functionality, economic viability, environmental impact, and sustainability, aligning with Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 3 (Good Health and Well-being), 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and 13 (Climate Action).

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For those interested, free trials of the self-synthesized oleogel creams are available at the innovation space on the first floor of the A3 Library.

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