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The changing environment is a crucial and current real-world connection to STEM education. Community service initiatives centered on environmental issues can engage students in society for the benefit of future generations. Hence, the Faculty of Applied Sciences (FSG), UiTM Perak Branch, Tapah Campus, conducted an international SULAM program. The Service-Learning Malaysia—University for Society (SULAM) initiative was implemented as an educational approach that integrates academic goals with community involvement. SULAM provides students the opportunity to engage with the surrounding community and apply their classroom-acquired knowledge and abilities to address local issues. Hence, the FSG301 students planned and prepared for a community activity entitled "Program Forum: Microplastic in Food" throughout the semesters of October 2024–February 2025 and organized it at the end of the semester. 

This activity aims to educate university students about the microplastics in food and foster a cleaner, safer community to mitigate environmental degradation. STEM education is essential for tackling the increasing microplastic pollution in food, since it educates individuals with the scientific, technological, engineering, and mathematical knowledge necessary for study, detection, and the creation of sustainable alternatives to plastic. Community service can address this gap by involving the public, enhancing knowledge, fostering behavioural change, and enhancing community efforts to reduce plastic use and improve waste management, thereby assisting technology and policy-driven strategies to tackle this widespread problem.

This program forum is organized as a webinar online through the Webex platform. The target community for this program is participants from Sharda University, India. Thus, FSG, UiTM Perak Branch Tapah Campus, collaborated with Prof. Dr. Mohit Sahni, Professor in the Department of Physics, Associate Dean of Research, and Head of the PhD Cell at Sharda University. There were a total of 67 participants from UiTM Tapah and Sharda University, India, who joined in this webinar. 

The webinar starts with participants’ registration and online participation via a Webex link. The forum began with a welcoming speech by Puan Tavasuria Elangovan, advisor of the webinar and a biology lecturer at FSG, UiTM Perak Branch, Tapah Campus. Next, the moderator introduced the participants to the topic. Thereafter, the forum session continues with the speaker, Ts. Dr. Khairiraihana binti Johari, Senior Lecturer, Universiti Teknologi Petronas, regarding microplastics in food, followed by the discussion between the moderator, speaker, and participants. 

This program forum is organized as a webinar online through the Webex platform. The target community for this program is participants from Sharda University, India. Thus, FSG, UiTM Perak Branch Tapah Campus, collaborated with Prof. Dr. Mohit Sahni, Professor in the Department of Physics, Associate Dean of Research, and Head of the PhD Cell at Sharda University. There were a total of 67 participants from UiTM Tapah and Sharda University, India, who joined in this webinar. 

The webinar starts with participants’ registration and online participation via a Webex link. The forum began with a welcoming speech by Puan Tavasuria Elangovan, advisor of the webinar and a biology lecturer at FSG, UiTM Perak Branch, Tapah Campus. Next, the moderator introduced the participants to the topic. Thereafter, the forum session continues with the speaker, Ts. Dr. Khairiraihana binti Johari, Senior Lecturer, Universiti Teknologi Petronas, regarding microplastics in food, followed by the discussion between the moderator, speaker, and participants. 

The speaker elucidates the hazards associated with microplastics in food, addressing sources, impacts, and strategies to reduce microplastic contamination. After that, there was a video presentation and a game session. The game session consisted of two games, namely a digital escape room and Quizizz.

Students used the website to create and design their own game questions related to the topic. Participants joined the game through the QR code provided or the link shared. Participants answered questions related to microplastics during this activity to identify their level of understanding related to the forum topic: microplastics in food. All participants in this game received a certificate of participation. Furthermore, the three best participants for each game activity were announced after the games were completed. 

Finally, the program ended with the closing speech by Dr. Fathiah Binti Abdullah, the head of the faculty, FSG, UiTM Perak Branch Tapah Campus, and a photography session. Participants’ feedback also was gathered using Google Forms at the end of the session. In addition, participants' interest in learning about microplastics in food has increased after they participated in the program. This is because the number of participants who responded “agree” has increased from 26 (42.6%) to 58 (95.1%). Besides that, participants said that they could apply the knowledge regarding microplastics in food, including prevention measures, in their daily lives after attending this program. Therefore, the participants found this webinar to be enlightening. 

In conclusion, microplastics are tiny plastic particles that can enter the body through multiple ways, such as seafood contamination, bottled water, and food processing. These microplastics may pose health hazards to humans, including gastrointestinal complications, immune system impairment, and a potentially increased likelihood of cancer. Thus, this program emphasizes the sustainable development goals (SDG): good health and well-being for people and life below water. It is essential for communities to manage plastic properly to ensure a healthier and more sustainable future.