Ultra-Violet Treatment for Fermenting Low-Salt Soya Sauce

Low-salt soya sauce has become a market trend due to consumers' demand for a low sodium diet life. In tradition, a low-salt soya sauce (with salt concentration below 14.4%) is made from a high-salt one (18% salt concentration) through diluting or reducing the sodium content. The post processing deteriorates the quality of the soya sauce produce as some specific, beneficial chemical components are inevitably removed. In production of a native-born low-salt soya sauce, a key problem encountered is possible microbial contamination that easily develops in a low salt environment. In this study, we evaluated the effect of ultra-violet (UVC 254nm) irradiation on soya mash of 12% salt concentration fermented at 35°C. The ultra-violet treatment could effectively prevent the soya mash from microbial contamination.

STUDY ON PRODUCTIVITY IMPROVEMENT OF MANUAL OPERATIONS IN SOYA SAUCE FACTORY

Today with a rapidly changing world and markets, SMEs are facing a critical challenge to remain competitive in the business market. In this paper, a case study of the SMEs food industry is presented. Work study methodology was embedded in the strategy to improve the productivity of the soya sauce enterprise. The sample size required for the study was calculated and random observations were determined through a work sampling technique to achieve a 95% confidence level. The result from this study reveals that work sampling data can be used as a reliable estimation for identification of any potential bottleneck as well as idle time in the factory. The process flowchart at the filling and capping terminal were examined and the travelling distance was optimized to 12.5 feet from original distance of 17 feet. The modified plant layout significantly improves the people flow, production material handling, work safety, space utilization, and better working conditions. The survival of SMEs is critical as this sector contributes 38.3% to Malaysian‘s gross domestic productivity (GDP). Thus, these findings demonstrated that enhancing the productivity of SME food industries is effective through a work study. However, the successful adoption of this approach is mostly because of top administrative involvement and the participation of all staff members. ABSTRAK: Pada hari ini, dengan perubahan pesat dunia dan pasaran, SMEs berhadapan cabaran getir bagi terus tetap berdaya saing dalam pasaran perniagaan. Kajian ini membincangkan berkaitan kes kajian SMEs dalam industri makanan. Kaedah kajian kerja telah diguna pakai dalam strategi bagi meningkatkan pengeluaran sos soya. Saiz sampel yang diperlukan bagi kajian ini dikira dan pemerhatian rawak diperoleh melalui teknik persampelan bagi memperolehi 95% tahap yakin diri. Hasil keputusan kajian menunjukkan data persampelan boleh digunakan sebagai anggaran boleh percaya bagi mengklasifikasi kemungkinan kesesakan dan juga masa terbiar dalam kilang. Proses carta alir pada terminal isian dan penutup telah diperiksa dan jarak perjalanan dioptimumkan pada 12.5 kaki dari jarak asal iaitu 17 kaki. Ubah suai susun atur kilang dapat memperbaiki dengan ketara aturan pekerja, pengendalian bahan pengeluaran, keselamatan kerja, pengunaan ruang tempat kerja dan persekitaran tempat kerja yang lebih bagus. Kemandirian SMEs adalah sangat kritikal kerana sektor ini menyumbang 38.3% kepada Keluaran Malaysia Dalam Negara Kasar (KDNK). Oleh itu, hasil kajian menunjukkan peningkatan produktiviti industri makanan SMEs adalah berkesan menerusi kajian ini. Walau bagaimanapun, keberhasilan kaedah ini berpunca daripada keterlibatan pentadbiran dan seluruh anggota pekerja.

Coffee and beverages are the major contributors to polyphenol consumption from food and beverages in Japanese middle-aged women

Food and beverages rich in polyphenols have been shown to reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases. The present study estimated polyphenol levels and consumption from food and beverages in Japanese women. Randomly recruited housewives living in the area around Tokyo (n 109; aged 21–56 years; Group 1) recorded all beverages and foods they ingested for 7 d, and the total polyphenol (TP) consumption was estimated based on the TP content of each item measured with a modified Folin–Ciocalteu method. For Group 1, TP was consumed at 841 (sd 403) mg/d (range 113–1759 mg/d), and beverages were a larger source of TP (79 %) than food (21 %). The largest single source of TP was coffee at 47 %, followed by green tea, black tea, chocolate, beer and soya sauce, at 16, 5·7, 3·3, 3·2 and 3·1 %, respectively. In terms of food groups, cereals/noodles, vegetables, fruits, beans and seeds, and seasonings (except for soya sauce) contributed 5·0, 4·0, 1·4, 1·8 and 2·4 %, respectively. Another group of housewives who consumed at least one cup of coffee per d were separately recruited (n 100; Group 2) in the same area. Their consumption of TP was higher at 1187 (sd 371) mg/d (range 440–2435 mg/d) than Group 1 (P < 0·001), and the difference mostly came from the coffee consumption. We conclude that not food but beverages, especially coffee, may be the major contributor to TP consumption in Japanese women.

Social mobilization and social marketing to promote NaFeEDTA-fortified soya sauce in an iron-deficient population through a public–private partnership

ObjectiveThe present pilot project aimed to assess the effectiveness of social mobilization and social marketing in improving knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) and Fe status in an Fe-deficient population.DesignIn an uncontrolled, before–after, community-based study, social mobilization and social marketing strategies were applied. The main outcomes included KAP and Hb level and were measured at baseline, 1 year later and 2 years later.SettingOne urban county and two rural counties in Shijiazhuang Municipality, Hebei Province, China.SubjectsAdult women older than 20 years of age and young children aged from 3 to 7 years were selected from three counties to attend the evaluation protocol.ResultsAfter 1 year, most knowledge and attitudes had changed positively towards the prevention and control of anaemia. The percentage of women who had adopted NaFeEDTA-fortified soya sauce increased from 8·9 % to 36·6 % (P ≤ 0·001). After 2 years, Hb levels had increased substantially, by 9·0 g/l (P ≤ 0·001) in adult women and 7·7 g/l (P ≤ 0·001) in young children.ConclusionSocial mobilization and social marketing activities had a positive impact on the KAP of adult women, and resulted in marked improvements in Hb levels in both adult women and young children. This should be recommended as a national preventive strategy to prevent and control Fe deficiency and Fe-deficiency anaemia.

Antimicrobial Activity of Carvacrol toward Bacillus cereus on Rice

The antimicrobial activity of carvacrol, a compound present in the essential oil fraction of oreganum and thyme, toward the foodborne pathogen Bacillus cereus on rice was studied. Carvacrol showed a dose-related inhibition of growth of the pathogen. Concentrations of 0.15 mg/g and higher inhibited the growth and the extent of inhibition depended on the initial inoculum size. To decrease the input of carvacrol on the taste and flavor of the product, a combined treatment with the structure analog cymene was tested. Due to the smell and taste of carvacrol at high concentrations, carvacrol was combined with cymene, a natural antimicrobial compound with a similar structure. A synergistic effect was observed when 0.30 mg/g carvacrol was combined with 0.27 mg/g cymene. Finally it was demonstrated that a common taste enhancer like soya sauce also increased the antimicrobial action of carvacrol toward B. cereus. The antimicrobial activity of carvacrol with cymene or soya sauce was influenced by the addition of NaCl.