Pagoh:Research into Malaysia's forest resources has led to the development of "Fragrad," a commercially viable perfume derived from *Aquilaria malaccensis*, the agarwood species, at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) Pagoh Campus.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the Innovation Centre in Agritechnology for Advanced Bioprocessing (ICA) at UTM developed the perfume to boost the commercialization of university research and enhance the value of agarwood, often referred to as "forest gold."

Dr. Norliza Abdul Latiff, ICA UTM Pagoh campus research officer, initiated the idea for an agarwood-based perfume in 2023, inspired by the wood's aroma during her research. The project received support from ICA director Prof. Dr. Hesham Ali El-Enshasy and was funded through a UTM research grant, involving a team of 13 experts.

Dr. Norliza emphasized the importance of translating research into commercially valuable innovations. After about a year of development, the team successfully produced Fragrad in 2024. The formulation process involved multiple stages to ensure the scent's consistency and longevity.

The perfume is developed as one of UTM's 'signature' products and has potential as an exclusive university souvenir. Fragrad is available in four fragrance variations SheGrad, HeGrad, Teja, and Tuah, catering to diverse consumer preferences. Each formulation uses about 25% agarwood essence sourced from local suppliers, with production times ranging from three weeks to two months, depending on the grade and formulation.

Efforts to secure a supply of high-quality agarwood essence remain a challenge due to the raw material's scarcity, requiring advanced orders from suppliers. ICA UTM aims to introduce at least one new agarwood-based product annually, aligning with efforts to commercialize research outcomes.

Currently, Fragrad is marketed through UTMart at UTM Skudai Campus in Johor Bahru and several online sales platforms. Nearly 300 bottles have been produced, with a target to sell over 600 bottles during the three-year commercialization period from 2024 to 2027.