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Future of Food Processing


Industry in Malaysia

MARDI Paving the


future of Agriculture
Pg.2

Pusat Kecemerlangan Penyelidikan


dan Inovasi Padi
Rice Research and Innovation
Centre of Excellence

Pg.2

Feeding
the

Nation

the

March 2016
Vol: 007

Healthy crispy breaded


cobia fish cutlets

Pg.3

NUTRIMATM STAMENUS a new


high caffeic acid drink

Nutrient rich powder


from pink guava
waste

Virgin Coconut Oil : From


Lab to Market

Pg.8

Pg.8

Pg.11

Welcome to Malaysia

Delegates of APRC!
7 11 March 2016

33rd session of FAO Regional Conference


for Asia and The Pacific (APRC)

he 33rd session of the FAO Regional


Conference for Asia and the Pacific (APRC)
will be held at Putrajaya, Malaysia, from
7 to 11 March 2016. This years APRC is hosted
by the Ministry of Agriculture & Agro-Based
Industry, Malaysia. The expected participants at
the conference will include agriculture ministers
from 46 countries across Asia and the Pacific as
well as the representatives from international nongovernmental organisations, inter-governmental
organisations, United Nations (UN) organisations,
civil society organisations and the media.
During the first three days, 7 to 9 March, senior
government officers will hold in-depth discussions
focusing on policy and regulatory issues in the
Asia-Pacific region and globally. From 10 to
11 March, a two-day ministerial segment will

convene, focusing on measures to speed up progress


of alleviating hunger and improving nutrition in
Asia-Pacific countries.
The conference will emphasise on the
opportunities and challenges in the region and
priority areas of work to improve food security and
nutrition, increase agricultural productivity, raise
the standard of living in rural populations and
contribute to sustainable economic growth.
Most specifically, the discussions will focus
on the state of agriculture across the region,
including future prospects and emerging issues
in the framework of Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs); revitalising the rural economy
through enhanced linkages between smallscale agricultural production and value chains;
promoting national nutrition policies and

investments, and integrating nutrition objectives


into food and agricultural policy, programme
design and implementation and blue growth.
Further discussions will be held on emerging
issues, FAO priority activities, matters regarding
the programme and budget, the organisations
decentralisation process and a multi-year
programme of work.
The Regional Conference for Asia and the
Pacific is held once every two years. This is the
third time Malaysia is hosting it. The last session
was held in Mongolia in March 2014.

Non-Thermal Processing for Food


Preservation
By: Abd Malik Othman
Food Science Technology Research Centre, MARDI

he Malaysian food industry is dominated by


small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and
they contribute to the Malaysian economic
development. However, due to limitations,
liberalisation and competition in the global market,
transformation of the business paradigms is
needed especially in new emerging technologies for
market expansion and food product development.
Food processing is in constant evolution in
response to different challenges. The changes in
consumer tastes and the need to produce safe and
high quality foods are responsible for the evolution
of the established food processes or the development
of the new ones. In this sense, the introduction of
new technologies could lead to a reduction of the

processing time or an improvement in operating


conditions. These aspects are closely linked to the
search for high quality products that preserve the
natural characteristics of food. Consumers are also
increasingly becoming aware of food-borne disease
hazards and are concerned about the safety of
their food supply.
Most foods are thermally preserved by subjecting
the product to boiling temperature or higher for a
few seconds to several minutes. These high energy
treatments usually diminish cooking flavours,
and cause loss of vitamins, essential nutrients
and food flavours in the product. To overcome or
minimise such disadvantages, the concept of nonthermal treatment was born. Non-thermal method

Pulse electric field in fruit juice preservation

allows processing of food below the temperature


used during thermal pasteurisation, thus flavour,
essential nutrients and vitamins undergo minimal
or no change during processing.

More on page 8

March 2016

VIEW POINT
E

MARDI
T

By: Dato Dr. Sharif Haron


Director General MARDI

Advisor
Dato Dr. Sharif Haron
(Director General MARDI)
MARDI Editorial Team
Dr. Mohamad Roff Mohd Noor
Dr. Ainu Husna MS Suhaimi
Rohani Md Yon
Maheswary Vellupillai
Muhammad Zahid Azmi
MARDI Press
Mahani Saim
Tengku Ahmad Fakrul Adli Engku Mat
For enquiries, please contact
Scientia MARDI
MARDI Headquarters,
Persiaran MARDI-UPM,
43400 Serdang Selangor
Tel:
603-8953 7202
Fax: 603-8953 7221
E-mail: scientia.mardi@gmail.com

shusna@mardi.gov.my

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Paving the future of Agriculture

he past forty years have seen


MARDI played a significant
role in Malaysian Agriculture.
With its expertise and state of the
art facilities, MARDI has developed
numerous crop varieties, clones
and animal breeds through wellplanned research and development
skills, technologies and the knowhow of production systems that are
made available to farmers and those
involved in the industry.
With our new vision which is to lead
Malaysian Agro-Food Research and
Innovation, our aim is to create high
value products as well as products
that would be of benefit to the
society and general public. We strive
to develop appropriate technologies
that fuel the food, agriculture and
related industries in view of current
and future challenges including
those of the inevitable climate
change. Cutting edge technologies
in food processing and post-harvest
handling are also developed for
horticultural and livestock products.
ICT technologies are being exploited
in farm management and operations
such
as
precision
farming
technology and yield estimation
using imaging technology.
New
techniques are being developed in
environmental management and
optimum utilisation of agricultural

resources particularly soil, water and


genetic resources.
Apart from performing research
and development (R&D) projects,
MARDI also provides technical
services
and
entrepreneurship
development in food and agriculture.
Technical services that we offer are
in the form of advisory, consultancy,
technical
trainings,
analytical
laboratory services and quality
assurance, product development
and processing and also technology
upscaling.
We are happy that
farmers and entrepreneurs that had
adopted MARDI technologies have
contributed to the development of
the national food, agriculture and
agro-based industries and had made
the agriculture sector a compelling
contributor to the national economy.
As part and parcel of being a
research organisation, we also
provide a pool of experts in relevant
fields who contribute significantly
to the global knowledge corpus. All
information, scientific findings and
agricultural skills acquired from the
R&D activities are channelled via
publications, exhibitions, conferences
and seminars at both national and
international levels.
International and National centres
of excellence within MARDI campus
such as CABI South East Asia,

TFNet and FAO as well as the Centre


for Molecular Development and
Validation (CMDV), MyGenebank
and the National Animal Embryo
Centre (NAEC) enable us to speed up
our R&D on plants and livestock as
well as carry out research activities
and provide services to the research
communities.
Commercialisation and consultation
are also our ways to ensure our
products and know-hows can be of
benefit to many. By establishing our
own Technology Commercialisation
Office (TCO) and our business wing,
MARDI Holdings, MARDI aims to
make a significant mark both locally
and globally.
Food
and
agriculture
are
important and need to be sustained.
It is facing major challenges but
these challenges can be overcome
by concerted efforts. To ensure that
MARDI keeps abreast with global
food and agriculture technology
evolution, MARDI strives to establish
strategic networking with numerous
research and development agencies,
universities and group networking at
both local and international levels.
It will be an honour for us to work
with all of you, hence I welcome all of
you to work together with us.

What expert says:

Future of Food Processing


Industry in Malaysia

he food processing industry


in Malaysia has seen many
changes since its independence
in 1957. Fifty nine years later, Malaysia
has around 6,000 small and medium
enterprises (SMEs) and several multinationals processing food, accounting
for nearly 10% of manufacturing
output. These companies are involved
in the production of noodles, bread and
bakery products, seafood products,
processed meats, oil and fat products,
milk-based products, confectionery,
snacks, soft drinks, sauces, canned
fruits and vegetables.
However, many of the raw
materials and ingredients used for
food processing are imported such
as flour, beef, soy beans, peas, dairy
powder, flavourings, colours and
additives. Malaysia is still a net
importer of processed food. In 2013,
imports totalled US$10 billion with an
average annual growth of 7.8%, while
exports were US$4.45 billion with an
average annual growth of 0.55%.

Challenges facing the food


industry

Challenges facing the industry include


a shortage of raw materials, limited
research and development, and lack
of technologies. The industry is also
undergoing changes brought about by
factors such as rising production costs,

technological developments, shifting


demand patterns, what more with the
drop in value of the ringgit which has
made imported materials used in food
processing more expensive.
The development of the food
industry is dependent on continuous
research
and
development
as
well as the supply of skilled and
knowledgeable workforce. As the
industry mainly consists of SMEs,
they lack the capacity to conduct R&D
and rely on the research institutions
and universities.
The Food Analysts Act 2011 and
Food Analysts Regulation 2013 came
into force in 2014, whereby only
registered food analysts are allowed to
issue or certify food analysis reports
for the company and thus bear the
responsibility of ensuring that food
products produced by the company are
safe. With this act, the profession of
food technologists have been elevated.
However, many companies have yet
to comply with this act. Among the
reasons are, they are not aware of this
new act, food technologists in industry
have not registered and the Ministry
of Health (MOH) has not started to
check the factories in this interim
period.
Food regulations and standards
will be an important determinant
of food trade and growth of the food

By: Hasimah Hafiz Ahmad


Research Specialist, MARDI

processing industry. Malaysia now


has the Food Regulations 1985 and
we have the capability to develop
standards to be used globally such
as the CODEX aqueous coconut
standard.
Continuous efforts in updating
and harmonising the Malaysian Food
Regulations 1985 to the international
CODEX standards by MOH will see
new developments in the future for
regulating all food products sold
in Malaysia and to facilitate trade.
MOH has been moving towards
voluntary compliance by industries
to the food regulations rather than
compliance by enforcement and thus
actively promotes the adoption of
Good Hygiene Practice (GHP), Good
Manufacturing
Practice
(GMP),
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control
Point System (HACCP) by the food
industries.
The ASEAN Economic Community
(AEC) which came into being on 31st
December 2015 provides challenges
as well as opportunities to the
Malaysian food industry. As ASEAN
moves to establish a single market
and production base, Malaysia stands
to gain in terms of access to raw
materials, free flow of equipment,
workforce, packaging, services and
a market of 625 million people with
More on page 3

March 2016

TECHNOLOGY

From page 2

Future of Food Processing


Industry in Malaysia
a gross domestic product (GDP) of US$2.6 trillion,
the seventh largest economy in the world. There are
still many hurdles as there is no clear authority to
implement the plans and monitor its progress. For
the food industry, a common set of regulations would
be ideal as in the case of nutrition labelling and
claims, the producing company in one ASEAN country
would be able to use one label to sell their products
without having to print different labels for different
countries. Harmonisation of regulations will reduce
inefficiencies, uncertainty, and cost of the food supply
chain and facilitate trade in ASEAN. However, despite
the mutual recognition agreements discussed in
ASEAN, it is still a long way to harmonise regulations
and standards in ASEAN.
Malaysia is positioning itself as a leading halal
supplier, and global centre for halal production,
marketing, and certification. The large Muslim
population and growing halal food processing industry
provides opportunities for Malaysia to increase
exports to other Muslim countries. One of the issues
currently faced by manufacturers related to halal
certification is the delay in renewing their halal
certificates for products. The laborious process of
submitting documents for each ingredient is repeated
for all ingredients used in the products, even though
suppliers remain the same since the last certification.
The long process results in late renewals and
loss of sales when buyers demand valid certificates
immediately. The use of databases for product
applications would help to reduce the process time
and also increase productivity of the auditors. Halal
certificates obtained at the time of purchase expire
before the product expires, for raw materials with long
shelf-life of more than 5 years such as chemicals, and
thus the certificates need to be renewed again using the
same lengthy process. JAKIM is also putting forward
a way where companies can immediately renew their
certificates provided they practise the Halal Assurance
Management System (HAS) in their factories. However,
as HAS is still a new system, industry needs guidance
on how to develop and implement it. Government private sector collaboration will pave the way towards
an efficient process whilst maintaining the integrity of
the system.
According to WHO Global Status Report on Non
Communicable Diseases (NCD) 2014, Malaysians
aged 30 - 70 have a 19.6% probability of dying from the
four main NCD (cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular and
respiratory disease) compared to Thailand (16.2%),
Singapore (10.5%) and USA (14.3%). With the increased
campaigns by MOH, there is growing awareness of the
importance of health and nutrition and this is driving
demand for healthier food and beverage choices in
the marketplace. This also presents opportunities
for growth in the health and wellness segment for
functional food, nutraceuticals, and beauty-wellness
products especially if they are in convenient forms and
have halal certification. Research in the development
of such new products with health substantiated claims
will be in the forefront in the future, with further
exploration of new sources of bioactive ingredients
targeting health and disease, new natural ingredients
and technologies for enhancement of food functions.
Emerging sciences of nutrigenomics and nutrigenetics
will help in understanding the interaction between
diet and genes, to optimise an individuals health via
nutritional intervention and personalised nutrition.
Product developers and industry need to keep
abreast with the nutrition labelling laws covering
nutrition claims, function claims and health claims.
Malaysia adopts a positive list approach, permitting
23 function claims for classical nutrients such as
protein, vitamins and minerals, and 29 other function
claims for other food components such as lutein, plant
sterol and DHA. Currently, disease risk-reduction
claims are not permitted. There are concerns that the
requirements for substantiation is too stringent in
applying for new health claims (other function claims),
as these are food and not drugs and many Asian
functional foods have been used for many years as part
of the local culture with no proper documentation of
health benefits. Through improvement in technologies,
R&D and intensive market promotion, the food
industry is expected to expand further into specialised
high value added products for niche markets.

Healthy crispy breaded


cobia fish cutlets
By: Nor Salasiah Mohamed
Food Science Technology Research Centre, MARDI

obia (Rachycentron canadum) has been


identified by Department of Fishery as one
of the high potential fish species cultured in
open sea farming. The rapid growth rate and good
white flesh of cobia make it an important potential
fish for future production. Coated products such as
tempura and breaded products have better market
worldwide especially in fast food outlets. However,
the batter used for this coated products is made from
imported starches such as wheat and corn flours.
Utilisation of local starches to replace imported
starches from corn and potato can reduce the
import of starches. One of the problems associated
with batter-fried food is the amount of oil absorbed
during deep frying. Therefore, oven baking will be a
good alternative to overcome the problem.
Coating formulation
Oven-baked breaded cobia fish coated with a crispy
coating was developed by substitution of imported
starches to 70% local starches using rice and tapioca
flours in the batter coating. The breaded cobia was
comparable to commercial deep fried products using
100% imported starches. The use of an emulsifier in
the product produced a crispy texture coating and
soft fish texture when oven baked.

Utilisation of rice flour reduced the fat uptake,


produced low gluten product, minimised the cost of
production as well as reduce import bill for imported
starches. Oven-baked breaded cobia had the highest
score in terms of texture, taste and overall acceptability.
The shelf-life of the product was up to 12 months.
Product description
Fresh cobia was filleted manually and skinned using a
skinning machine. The fillet was treated with natural
organic acids and cut into small sizes of 5-6 cm. Fish
portions were dipped into special batter formulation
and flash fried at 200C for 20 seconds and blast frozen
at -20C. The product was packed in polyethylene trays
and boxes weighing 250g each and kept frozen at -20C
until baking at 180C for 10 minutes before serving.
This new innovative way to reheat the breaded fish
product improved the quality in terms of texture and
nutritional values. The oven-baked breaded cobia is
more nutritious and healthier than deep fried products.
It has low fat content (5.2%), does not contain any trans
fatty acids and high in protein (17.8%) compared to
12.69% fat and 12.39% protein in deep fried commercial
fish cutlet. The production cost for oven-baked breaded
cobia was less compared to commercial deep fried
products. This new innovative technology decreased the
use of oil during flash frying and baking to reheat the
product. The cost of frying oil reduced about 50% during
the heating process.

Cocos Emulsion: A New


Nutritional Supplement
By: Koh Soo Peng
Biotechnology & Nanotechnology Research Centre

he coconut palm is a miracle tree. The nut provides


water, milk, food and oil. The coconut milk,
also called santan, is used for desserts, cooking
curries and soups. It is lactose-free and therefore, can
be used as a milk substitute for people who are lactose
intolerant and offers a great choice for making smoothies,
milkshakes or as a dairy substitute in cooking or baking.
Coconut milk contains a significant amount of oil,
mainly medium-chain saturated fatty acids (C8, C10, C12),
particularly lauric acid which is converted into a highly
beneficial compound known as monolaurin in the body.
This compound has antiviral and antibacterial activities
capable of destroying a wide variety of microorganisms.
There is a new claim that consumption of coconut
milk may help to protect the body from infections and
viruses. Unlike other saturated fatty acids, mediumchain saturated fatty acids are rapidly metabolised into
energy in the liver and are used up more quickly in the
body. Therefore, it is less likely to be stored as fat.
More on page 4

March 2016

TECHNOLOGY
From page 3

Cocos Emulsion:
A New Nutritional
Supplement

Initially, the global market demand for virgin coconut oil (VCO)
showed a dramatically increasing trend as people became aware
of its therapeutic value with functional benefits to human health
and no side effects. It can be extracted via a dry extraction process
from desiccated coconut or from coconut milk via a natural wet
fermentation process induced by pure starter cultures to enhance
the process. No further refining process is required during wet
extraction process of VCO to maintain its nutritional value,
particularly retaining most of the unsaponifiable matter (e.g.
tocopherol, tocotrienol and polyphenols) which are proven to be
good antioxidants. In terms of oil composition, VCO extracted from
coconut milk contains ~92% saturated fatty acids, predominantly
65% being medium-chain saturated fatty acids.
Despite its therapeutic values, delicate flavour, unique aroma
and crystal clear appearance, most consumers disliked direct
consumption of VCO due to its oily taste, particularly among the

younger generation. Because of that, a palatable CocosTM Emulsion


was developed by formulating VCO into a tasteful emulsion product
to encourage more children and Malaysians to consume and enjoy
the benefits of this miracle oil.
With its excellent natural taste and richness in important
antioxidants and medium-chain fatty acids, CocosTM Emulsion
showed great potential as a daily food nutritional supplement for
people of all ages to strengthen the bodys immune system and to
prevent colds, flu and other infections. It also helps in optimising
weight loss by increasing the body metabolism which is an ideal way
to overcome childrens obesity problems.
A sensory evaluation conducted among adults and school children
showed a significant preference towards CocosTM Emulsion compared
to VCO in both sensory attributes of taste and odour. This positive
feedback from the public indicated that CocosTM Emulsion has great
potential to be marketed.

ecently, food technologists have discovered that it is


possible to use ultrasound in food processing. The
type of ultrasound used in these applications, which
is also known as power ultrasound, is more powerful and at
a lower frequency than that used in diagnostic applications.
The sound ranges employed can be broadly divided into high
frequency, low energy, diagnostic ultrasound in the MHz
range and low frequency, high energy, power ultrasound in
the kHz range.
Power ultrasound enhances chemical and physical changes
in a liquid medium through the generation and subsequent
destruction of cavitation bubbles. Like any sound wave,
ultrasound is propagated via a series of compression and
rarefaction waves induced in the molecules of the medium
through which it passes. At sufficiently high power, the
rarefaction cycle (around 20,000-40,000 times per second
using normal power ultrasonic frequencies) may exceed the
attractive forces of the molecules of the liquid and cavitation
bubbles will form. The bubbles grow over the period of a few
cycles to an equilibrium size for the particular frequency
applied. It is the fate of these bubbles when they collapse
in succeeding compression cycles that generates the energy

for chemical and mechanical effects. In aqueous system at


an ultrasonic frequency of 20 kHz, each cavitation bubble
collapse acts as a localised hotspot generating temperatures
of about 5,000K and pressures around 2,000 atmospheres.
The two most common pieces of equipment used for the
generation of acoustic cavitation are the ultrasonic cleaning
bath and the more powerful probe system.
A powerful liquid jet formed due to the collapse of bubbles
near to a surface having an effect equivalent to high-pressure
jetting, is used extensively for cleaning. Besides cleaning,
the jet produced on bubbles collapse providing an excellent
penetration of the material coupled with the disruption of
cells and release of contents.
Ultrasonically assisted extraction can also be applied for
isolation of medicinal compounds and extraction of essential
oils from plant materials. The cavitational collapse at or near
the interface will cause disruption and mixing, resulting in
the formation of very fine emulsions in liquid with different
phases. Furthermore, power ultrasound which destroys
microorganisms and inactivate microbes, enzymes, and
spores can act as an emerging preservation technique in the
food industry.

Ultrasound
as an emerging food processing technique
R
By: Mohamed Nazim Anvarali
Food Science Technology
Research Centre, MARDI

The picture shows the ultrasonic treatment (using probe type) imposed on the solution which has 2 phases (water and oil). The changes can be seen clearly where the oil molecules
were broken down into smaller particles to produce a stable emulsion in water.

High Pressure Processing: The Future


of Food Preservation

inimal processing is the subject of major interest for


both food preservation and food preparation. High
pressure processing (HPP) technology is a nonthermal food processing and preserving technology that can
be used to destroy microorganisms and deactivate enzymes
without destroying the quality and nutritional content of
food such as vitamins and antioxidants. It is an interesting
alternative to traditional food processing and preservation
methods due to its limited effects on covalent bonds resulting
in minimal modifications in nutritional quality. High pressure
processing, using a pressure ranging from 100 MPa to 1,000
MPa from a few seconds up to several minutes, depending
on the tested products, is an environmentally friendly
technology and has been widely used in US, UK and Japan
for maintaining shelf-life of food products.
High pressure processing retains food quality, maintains
natural freshness, and extends microbiological shelf-life. The
process is also known as high hydrostatic pressure processing
(HHP) and ultra-high pressure processing (UHP). High
pressure processing causes minimal changes in the fresh
characteristics of foods by eliminating thermal degradation.

By: Wan Nur Zahidah Wan Zainon


Food Science Technology Research Centre, MARDI

It can be conducted at ambient or refrigerated temperatures,


thereby eliminating thermally induced cooked off-flavours.
The technology is especially beneficial for heat sensitive
products.

How does HPP work?

Most processed foods are heat treated to kill bacteria, which


often diminishes product quality. High pressure processing
provides an alternative means of killing bacteria that
can cause spoilage or food-borne diseases without loss of
sensory quality or nutrients. In a typical HPP, the product
is packaged in a flexible container (usually a pouch or plastic
bottle) and loaded into a high pressure chamber filled with a
pressure-transmitting (hydraulic) fluid. The hydraulic fluid
(normally water) in the chamber is pressurised with a pump,
and this pressure is transmitted through the package into the
food itself. Pressure is applied for a specific time depending
on the product. During HPP, pressure is uniformly applied
around and throughout the food product. Since the pressure
is transmitted uniformly in all directions simultaneously,
the food retains its shape even at extreme pressures. As no

Pressure is transmitted
uniformly in HPP machine
More on page 5

March 2016

ACHIEVEMENT
From page 4

High Pressure Processing: The


Future of Food Preservation

Tiger Milk Mushroom as remedy


for respiratory disorders
By: Dr. Tan Chon Seng
Horticulture Research Centre, MARDI

Examples of HPP products in overseas market

heat is applied, the sensory characteristics of the food


are retained without compromising microbial safety. The
processed product is then removed and stored/distributed
in the conventional manner.
Currently, HPP is being used in the United States,
Europe and Japan on a selected variety of high value foods
either to extend shelf-life or to improve food safety. Some
products that are commercially produced using HPP are
cooked ready-to-eat meats, avocado products (guacamole),
tomato salsa, apple sauce, orange juice and oysters.
High pressure processing cannot be used yet to make
shelf-stable versions of low acid products such as vegetables,
milk or soups because of the inability of this process to
destroy spores without added heat. However, it can be used
to extend the refrigerated shelf-life of these products and
to eliminate the risk of various food-borne pathogens such
as Escherichia coli, Salmonella and Listeria.

f youre suffering from sinusitis, blocked


airways, shortness of breath, irritating
discomfort, chronic cough and chest pain,
then the ultimate remedy will be Lignosus
rhinocerus commonly known as Tiger Milk
Mushroom (TMM), a long forgotten fungus
native only to the forests of South East Asia.
Tiger Milk Mushroom has been used for
a long time for treating asthma, bronchitis,
breast
cancer
and
stomach
cancer.
Unfortunately, it is difficult to find as it grows
in solitary. In addition, it produces only one
stalk at a time within a 5 km radius and once it
sprouts out from the ground with its stem and
cap, it depletes most if not all of its medicinal
properties found in the underground tuber or
sclerotium.
Due to its scarcity, TMM has long
been forgotten as an effective remedy for
respiratory disorders. But thanks to modern
biotechnology, TMM has been given a new
lease of life by the collaboration work between
MARDI and a local company, LiGNO Biotech
Sdn. Bhd. Together, they have successfully
produced the worlds first cultivated TMM
with a stable and sustainable supply. It has
been scientifically tested and proven for its
efficacy and safety standards for long term
consumption.
Recent findings have proven that L.
rhinocerus TM02 contains various active
components such as polysaccharides-protein
complexes, -glucan, protein and immunemodulatory proteins, which are biologically
active in rendering significant medicinal
properties such as anti-inflammatory,
immuno-modulatory, anti-proliferative, anti-

Seaweed Powder from

Kapphaphycus alvarezii :

Future of HPP product in Malaysia

MARDI has moved a step forward to become the first


research institute in Malaysia to have the HPP facilities
located at the Food Science and Technology Research
Centre in Serdang. Currently, our studies are focused on
the effect of HPP treatment on the safety and quality of
fresh fruits and purees. So far, the results showed that
different types of products require different pressure levels
and time to kill the microbes. We are also looking at the
economic feasibility of HPP processing which requires the
optimisation of treatment conditions in order to achieve the
lowest pressure/shortest time combinations to eliminate
pathogens of concern from the food treated. Ideally,
pressures should be no greater than 350 MPa to reduce
capital equipment costs, although successful commercial
applications have used higher pressures than this.
High capital expenditure and limited throughput are
some current limitations of this technology. With wider
industrial adaptation and technology innovation, it is
expected that the cost of equipment will reduce. Consumer
demands on minimally processed foods with natural flavour
and taste with no or minimal use of preservatives will
lead to the development of high numbers of non-thermal
preservation approaches including HPP in order to make
the food safe without adversely affecting product quality.
HPP will become a promising technology that
could eventually replace many heat treatments in the
food processing industry in Malaysia. It is our social
responsibility through research and development to
improve and spread this technology in order to improve
health and lifestyle as well as increasing income of the
local food industry entrepreneurs.

oxidative and neurite outgrowth stimulation.


Genomic studies have shown the presence of
a new fungal immuno-modulatory protein
in this mushroom. The gene sequence and
three dimensional model of this protein has
been recently elucidated.
Preclinical toxicology evaluations showed
that L. rhinocerus TM02 did not induce
adverse effects on fertility, teratogenic effect
and any genotoxicity. The no-observedadverse-effect level (NOAEL) dose of L.
rhinocerus TM02 in a 180-day chronic toxicity
study is more than 1,000 mg/kg which
is equivalent to 162 mg/kg human dose.
Anticipated dose for a 60 kg adult is ~10g.
The effective dosage of L. rhinocerus TM02
is as low as 0.5g per day for an adult and
therefore, there is a huge margin for safety.
Lignosus rhinocerus TM02 has proven to be
effective in supporting lung and respiratory
health, immune health, maintaining joint
health due to inflammation, improving
vitality and stamina and improving quality
of life in cancer patients.

A Potential Natural Ingredient for


Food Industry

By: Dr Aida Hamimi Ibrahim


Food Science and Technology Research Centre, MARDI

nder National Agricultural Policy


3 (NAP3) and RMK10, seaweed is
one of the commodities identified for
planned growth and estimated to grow from
19,000 metric tonnes to 49,000 metric tonnes
in 2020. Currently, in the local scenario,
the commercial use has been mainly for
production of dried seaweed and semi-refined
carrageenan. Technology for new uses and
new processed products need to be developed
so that there is demand for the raw material.
The technology developed for processing
seaweed powder from Kapphaphycus alvarezii
is easy, safe and cost effective, with a drying
process of 5 to 8 hours at a temperature of
60C without affecting the nutrient content
and dietary fibre. Seaweed powder from K.
alvarezii has less than 5% moisture content
with lighter colour, low gel strength, low
viscosity and suitable hydration properties as
a food ingredient. It has also been shown to
contain 80% total dietary fibre (soluble fibre
65% and insoluble fibre 15%), phytosterol
(cholesta-4,6-dien-3-ol, cholest-5-en-3-ol and
cholest-4-en-3-ol) and source of folic acid

(327 ug/100gm), calcium (596 mg/100g) and


magnesium (498 mg/100g).
The study demonstrated that the
seaweed powder had very pronounced
hypocholesterolemic effects as it decreased
the levels of serum total cholesterol (43%
- 54%), total triglycerides (5% - 46%)
and low density lipoprotein (LDL) (74%
-79%) in hypercholesterolemic rats. It
has the potential of reducing the risk of
cardiovascular disease by lowering the
Antherogenic Index.
Seaweed powder also showed prebiotic
effect by promoting the growth of the gutfriendly lactic acid bacteria. These healthpromoting properties can boost this product
as a potential functional ingredient for the
food industry.
As with other types of viscous
polysaccharides, low viscosity fractions of
the indigestible carbohydrate material from
K. alvarezii powder could be used to develop
food products with high fibre content.
Evidence showed that this seaweed
powder from K. alvarezii possesses physicochemical and health-promoting properties
which can enable it to be marketed as a
new natural ingredient for the health food
industry.

March 2016

FOCUS

Traditional

Food
Mechanisation

Satay Grilling Machine

Capacity: 1,000 satay sticks/hour

to Enhance

Sustainability
of Traditional
Food

By: Dr. Azman Hamzah and Mohd Shahrir Azizan


Engineering Research Centre, MARDI

echanisation is the art of using


machineries to carry out tasks
continuously and efficiently in order
to reduce fatigue and manual handling for
better quality of end products. Food processing
mechanisation can drive the progress of the
national agrofood sector.
The importance of food processing
mechanisation was outlined in the 5th strategic
direction of the National Agrofood Policy (NAP)
2011-2020, which pinpoints the research and
development (R&D) direction, innovation and
use of technologies. The vision of the agrofood
sector is to make it one of the driving forces
for the nations economic growth. Farmers
and food producers have to modernise their
approach towards agrofood activities in order to
transform their businesses into more productive,
competitive and sustainable ventures. To meet
the international standards set for agrofood
based products, they need to adopt and adapt to
new technologies and best practices.
Based on the NAP, the food industry
contributed a total of RM22.5 billion or 6.3%
of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2011.
From 2011 to 2020, NAP will be a continuation
of the policies formulated to address the food
safety issues and also consider new challenges
globally. The Policy was formulated to achieve
the following objectives:
a) To ensure adequate supply of food and safe
for consumption
b) To provide a competitive and sustainable ecosystem for agrofood industry
c) To increase the income level of entrepreneurs

Mini Murtabak Machine


Capacity: 120 pieces/hour

Food machinery equipment is an important


element in the modernisation of the local food
industry. Requirements for minimum human
handling, consistent product quality, lack of
skilled labour and high wages has led food
manufacturers to switch to an appropriate
food mechanisation process. The need for food
mechanisation process is to fulfill the following
factors:
a) Increase productivity
b) Reduce production cost
c) Preserve food productions hygiene
d) Improve food quality, consistency and safety
e) Address demand for skilled labour in food
industry and
f) Meet the market demand
The Engineering Research Centre at MARDI
conducts research related to technological
innovation in postharvest and processing areas.
The centre has developed many food processing
mechanisation technologies that provides
solution to the issues of mechanisation faced by
the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the
food industry. MARDI is committed in helping to
expand the food industry for the SMEs to preserve
the sovereignity of the nations food security.
Generally, most of the mechanisation designs
have been protected by Intellectual Properties
Rights (IPR) in the Patent or Industrial Design
categories.
MARDI will continue to strive in pursuing
excellence in R&D in the field of food process
mechanisation and sustaining the development
and progress of the countrys agrofood sector.
The countrys food processing will be further
strengthened in the future with the effort of
modernisation of technologies. The SMEs in
food sector must be ready and prepared to adopt
technologies that suit their needs.

Kuih Ros Machine

Capacity: 900 pieces/hour

March 2016

FOCUS

Satay Skewing Machine


Capacity: 1,500 satay sticks/hour

Rempeyek Machine
Capacity: 900 pieces/hour

March 2016

COMMERCIALISATION

Nutrient rich powder from


pink guava waste

By: Dr. Aida Hamimi Ibrahim


Food Science Technology Research Centre, MARDI

alaysia captures approximately 30%


of the worlds pink guava puree export
market. Europe remains the main
market for Malaysias pink guava puree, taking
up almost 61% of the entire production, followed
by the USA, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand,
Korea and Japan.
In Malaysia, the pink guava puree industry is
dominated by Sime Darby Beverages Sdn. Bhd.
(SDB). The Sungei Wangi Estate in Sitiawan,
Perak is the worlds single largest pink guava
plantation and it is currently the nations only
pink guava producer. With an annual harvest of
almost nine million kg since 2006, the plantation
produces 15% of the worlds pink guava puree and
also a significant quantity of by-products. The
average quantity of residue obtained was about
24.5% which constitutes the skins and seeds. As
significant amount of residues were produced, it
caused problems for their disposal. Thus, instead
of disposing the waste, an exploitation of these
by-products for a new source of dietary fibre as
functional compounds for food applications may be
a significant option.
Researchers
at
Malaysian
Agricultural
Research and Development Institute (MARDI)
developed a unique process for converting pink
guava by-products into guava dietary fibre
powder. The process is simple, economical and
can be scaled up. Current study on development

of dietary fibre powder (DFP) from pink guava


processing waste shows that the product has high
amount of total dietary fibre (76.1%) with suitable
hydration properties as a food ingredient. It was
also found that DFP is a good source of antioxidant
ingredient as it contained high total antioxidant
activities (86.72% AOA). Furthermore, it also has
low energy value (246 kcal/100g); thus, it can be
used as an ingredient in low calorie products. In
addition, the novel DFP has the following benefits:
1. Prebiotic effect: Promotes the growth of
Bifidobacterium which is a gut-friendly
bacteria. Therefore, pink guava dietary fibre
can be used as a functional ingredient in the
food industry.
2. Hypocholesterolemic effect: Lowers total
cholesterol level by 43% and low-density
lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (which is
considered the most relevant cholesterol
causing heart diseases) by 51% in animal
experiments.
Thus, the pink guava fruit juice industry which
produces significant amount of by-products, may
turn the DFP into a potential new natural ingredient
for the food industry. This by-product posseses the
physico-chemical and health-promoting properties
and evidence has been obtained to enable it to
be marketed as a new natural ingredient for the
health food industry.

From front page

Non-Thermal Processing for


Food Preservation
Developments in non-thermal technologies have
been advanced by both industry and academia in
an attempt to meet the challenge of producing safe
processed food of high quality. There is no doubt
that high quality food can be produced through
the use of non-thermal processing technologies.
These processes include high pressure processing
(HPP), irradiation, pulse electric field (PEF),
ultrasound, light pulse (LP), oscillating magnetic
field (OMF) and hurdle technology. The safety and
microbiological quality of food processed using
these technologies, however, needs to be affirmed.
In order to optimise the quality of the processed
food, these technologies can either be used alone
or in combination. Each non-thermal technology
has specific application in terms of types of food
processed. For example, HPP, OMF, LP and hurdle
technology are useful in processing both liquid
and solid food. Whereas PEF is more suitable for
liquid food and irradiation for solid food. Therefore
non-thermal technologies are not applicable in
processing every variety of food. Each non-thermal
technology has its merits and limitations and in
many cases a combination of these technologies is
needed to give good results.
With the advent of new technologies, methods
and techniques to ensure that food is kept in
pristine, nutritionally sound, and cost effective
condition, the opportunities for impacting this
dynamic and innovative market are rising.

oscillating magnetic field

NUTRIMATM STAMENUS

a new high caffeic acid drink


By: Dr. Suri Roowi
Food Science Research Centre, MARDI

rthosiphon stamineus Benth (Lamiaceae)


or misai kucing is a popular medicinal
plant in Southeast Asia and commonly
used for the treatment of many diseases, such
as those affecting the urinary tract, diabetes
mellitus, hypertension, rheumatism, tonsillitis
and menstrual disorders. The major chemicals in
O. stamineus are phenolic compounds including
polymethoxylated flavonoids such as sinensetin
and eupatorine and caffeic acid derivatives, which
include rosmarinic acid, chicoric acid and caffeic
acid.
Caffeic acid was reported to be highly and
rapidly absorbed in humans, induced significant
reduction of blood glucose and increased plasma
insulin. Caffeic acid also markedly increased
glucokinase activity and lowered plasma glucose6-phosphatase.
Based on the beneficial effect of caffeic acid,
a new high caffeic acid drink was developed and
named as NUTRIMATM STAMENUS. This newly
developed product was made from extracts of
misai kucing and chrysanthemum with addition

of enzyme and honey. The development of the


high caffeic acid drink involved selection of plant
material, extraction optimisation, bioconversion of
targeted compounds using enzyme and selection of
suitable food matrices. A new technique was also
developed to extract high amounts of caffeic acid
from misai kucing. This product may become a
new potential product, particularly for the health
food industries.
The amount of caffeic acid in NUTRIMATM
STAMENUS was also higher when compared
to commercial products. Shelf-life studies on
NUTRIMATM STAMENUS indicated that caffeic
acid was stable even after 12 months of storage.
Studies on safety, efficacy and toxicity have also
been carried out. A preliminary 28-day-study on
Sprague-Dawley rats showed that this product is
safe to be consumed as no abnormal parameter
was noted. NUTRIMATM STAMENUS was able to
reduce hyperglycemia and had no hypoglycemic
effect in postprandial diabetic rats. These findings
suggested that NUTRIMATM STAMENUS maybe
useful in controlling diabetes.

March 2016

COMMERCIALISATION

Potential of

stingless
bee
farming in

Malaysia

By: Ramlah Md Isa


Ex Director of
Technical Services
Centre, MARDI

tingless bees or meliponines are found


in most tropical areas of the world. They
belong to the family of Apidae and are
among the largest group of bees consisting of 500
species. In Malaysia about 30 different species
are found but only three of these, Heterotrigona
itama, Geniotrigona thoracia and Lepidotrigona
terminate, are well suited for utilisation as
domesticated honey producers.
Health benefits of stingless bee honey
Stingless bee honey is called the Mother of
Medicine and an increasing number of traditional
practitioners are using it as medicinal honey. There
are many known health benefits of consuming
stingless bee honey regularly which include antiaging, enhanced libido and immune system,
antibacterial and as treatment for bronchial
catarrh, sore throat, coughs and colds. Honey
is also restorative after an illness and is said to
soothe pains, act as an antiseptic, hasten healing,
relieve coughs and be effective in curing burns,
carbuncles, boils and diabetic wounds.
Honey produced by stingless bees contains
various acids like felonic and p-coumaric which
are beneficial to humans. It has also been reported
that the dark coloured honey produced by Trigona
from the star fruit or carambola trees contains
exceptionally high levels of potassium, magnesium,
iron and zinc. Stingless bee honey also contains
a lot of nutrients such as vitamins and minerals
because the small size meliponine can suck nectar
from the deepest interior space of flowers. Propolis
which is produced from a mixture of the bees
saliva and pollen, bark, tree shoots and flowers is
also beneficial to health because it contains all 16
amino acids, glucose, vitamins A, B, C, D and E,
bioflavonoid and minerals.
Business opportunities
Stingless bees contribute about RM66 million

Production of

VitAto
powder

By: Dr Faridah Hussin


Food Science Technology
Research Centre, MARDI

n 2009, MARDI took the initiative to have a collaboration


with the multinational company, Nestle R&D Singapore
to introduce our new sweetpotato variety, VitAto. A food
technologist from MARDI was attached to the company for 3
months to carry out research on the establishment of processing
steps for the production of VitAto powder at Nestle pilot plant.
Steps required for the powder processing include washing,
sanitising, cutting, drying and milling. All equipment required
for the powder processing was identified and processing of VitAto
was carried out.
Product recovery, physico-chemical and microbial content of
fresh and sweet potato powder were determined. The recovery
of fresh cubes after slicing, dried cubes after drying and powder
after milling were between 94 98, 21 and 12% respectively.
Moisture content of fresh and powder were 80% and less than 10%
respectively. Sanitising the whole sweet potato tubers with 0.2%
sodium metabisuphite increased beta-carotene of fresh cubes
by 12%, significantly reduced microbial load but did not help in
improving the colour of the sweet potato after drying. Processing
steps for powder production were successfully established and
able to produce good quality VitAto powder which was applied
in noodle formula. Results showed that as much as 40% VitAto
powder was successfully substituted into the formulation. Nestle
highlighted that VitAto sweet potato is an integral part of Nestls
biofortification platform, on which Nestl will build competence in
nutrient management throughout the value chain. The concept
of sweet potato noodles will be supported by Nestl Malaysia and
they would like MARDI to continue to support this project.

a year for the agricultural sector, and this is


increasing every year. Beekeeping in Malaysia
should be regarded as a tool to achieve
sustainable development. Keeping bees can help
low income communities earn additional revenue
from the selling of bee products, thus reducing
the need to exploit other natural resources and
hence creating incentives to protect natural
habitats as food sources and nesting sites for the
bees. Moreover, beekeeping contributes to the
provision of pollination services, assuring crop
yields and helping to maintain plant biodiversity
in natural ecosystems.
Although the commercial use of the honey
bee has become a major global business, the
profitable use of stingless bees has not been
receiving much attention. The rearing of stingless
bees for production of quality and nutritious
honey is relatively new to Malaysia. Making
meliponiculture a more profitable activity could
attract new entrepreneurs and thus increase its
relevance as a means to achieve new sources of
wealth and sustainable development.
Beekeeping is currently moving out from
the forest into urban settings. This is because
it is considered as an eco-friendly hobby that is
both productive and therapeutic. This concept of
urban farming gives the city dwellers an option to
consider stingless bee farming besides planting
herbs, flowers and vegetables. The proliferation
of bee population in the urban areas will enhance
pollination in the urban settings and lessen the
usage of chemical inputs to boost flowering.
Stingless bee farming also provides
opportunities to increase income for the youths
and many other groups in the urban and rural
areas. Youths who have moved to urban areas
could return to their villages with such a
strategy and make their kampungs a place to
earn a decent living.

Nutrient rich tropical


fruit composite
breakfast cereal
By: Dr Faridah Hussin
Food Science Technology Research Centre, MARDI

echnology for nutrient rich tropical


fruit composite breakfast cereal
was developed using dehydration
process with the aim of producing healthy
fruit-based products for health benefits.
Composite breakfast cereal was prepared
from combination of selected tropical fruits
(banana, mango and pink guava) that are
rich in dietary fibre and antioxidants, and
was processed using combination methods
of drum drying and extrusion. This product
consists of composite fruit puff, mango
flakes, pink guava flakes and dried banana
slices. The novelties of the technology are:
1) Short processing time: Drum drying
process
successfully
shortened
the
processing time to only 4.35 hours
compared to cabinet drying (51.6 hours)
and vacuum drying (32.6 hours).
2) New nutritious tropical fruit composite
breakfast cereal: This gluten-free product
contains high total dietary fibre (10g/100g)
and antioxidant activities (DPPH 88%) and
a good source of vitamin A (9.74mg/100g),
vitamin C (71mg/100g) and potassium
(977mg/100g). It is packed in aluminum
laminated packaging (OPP/AL/LLDPE)
and shelf stable at room temperature for 1
year.

Anti-hyperglycaemic study in normal


rats showed that 10% cereal diet can
reduce blood glucose concentration by
17%, 35% and 39% after 30 min, 60
min and 120 min of glucose loading
respectively. Anti-hypercholesterolemic
study in high fat diet mice showed 23%
reduction in blood cholesterol followed
by 48% and 21% increase of bile acid
in urine and in faeces respectively.
Thus, this diet is beneficial to patients
with diabetes mellitus and plays a
role in controlling hyperglycaemia and
hypercholesterolemia. This product will
enhance nutrition through consumption
of local food product. The technology
developed will create new industry for
local entrepreneurs, thus helping to
increase the functional food market that
is worth RM12 billion.

10

March 2016

SUCCESS STORY

THE SOY SAUCE MILLIONAIRE


By: Rohani Md Yon
Corporate Communication and Quality Centre, MARDI

ato Hj. Lambak Hj. Mohamed


founded Zara Foodstuff Industries
Sdn. Bhd. in 1987 together
with his seven sons. They developed the
company to become a leader in soy sauce
production in Malaysia.
The first products manufactured
by the company, chilli and tomato
sauces and seri kaya were not well
received. However, Dato Hj. Lambak
was determined to make the company
a success. With a capital of RM150,000
he bought the Kipas Udang brand from
a company in Singapore. This action was
timely and the brand was successfully
used for a new soy sauce product which
was well received by consumers.

Processing Plant
Construction

The first factory for soy sauce processing


rented at RM9,000 per month at Jalan
Tahana, Johor Bahru was in operation for
one year. When sales increased rapidly,
the company invested RM42 million to
build a new factory at Jalan Dagang,

High quality products will not


be able to survive in the market
if business management is weak
and unsteady
-Dato Hj. Lambak Hj. Mohamed
Johor Bahru. The fully operational
plant currently produces Kipas Udang
brand soy sauce which is available in all
supermarkets nationwide.
With an investment of RM5.3 million
and the help of 180 workers, production
has increased from 60,000 to 96,000
bottles of soy sauce a day. To monitor the
product quality, the company hired three
food technologists who are responsible for
quality control and laboratory analysis of
the products.

Technical Assistance from


MARDI

The success of Zara Foodstuff Industries


Sdn Bhd was supported by technical
assistance from MARDI especially at the
beginning of the companys involvement
in sauce processing. Dato Zainal
Lambak, the company advisor, was
responsible for product development. He
learned and gained a lot of knowledge
in soy sauce processing from MARDI
between 1987 and 1988. MARDI gave him
technical advice and provided guidance
in development of product formulation,
appropriate
processing
technology
and production systems. In addition,
MARDI also helped him to facilitate the
processing of sample products for market

testing. To further enhance his knowledge


in soy sauce processing, he also attended
training courses and seminars organised
by MARDI. Services for product analysis
was also provided for the company for
monitoring the product quality and
further improvement of the product.

Marketing Skills

However, the key to the success of this


company depends on their marketing
skills. Dato Hj. Lambak is very skillful
in this matter and gave good guidance
to his children to continue to manage
the company successfully. His gamble to
buy the Kipas Udang brand, an already
renowned brand, definitely paid off. He
saw that the brand had a loyal following,
and predicted that customers will continue
to buy the product. To remain as a leader
in the soy sauce market, the company
did not hesitate in investing money on
advertising. Each year RM3 million is
invested for products advertisements
whether on television or billboards
around the country. Advertising on
television is effective as sales continued
to increase from year to year. At the start
of the companys operation, sale was only
RM150,000 a month but after advertising
on television, sales doubled.
Zara Foodstuff Industries Sdn Bhd
also appointed agents throughout the
country, especially in big cities like Kuala
Lumpur, Johor Bahru, Ipoh, Penang and
Alor Setar, to market their products.
Now the company has not looked back
since it is able to control the soy sauce

market with RM84 million sales a year.


Sales will continue to increase with the
introduction of the Kipas Udang soy sauce
into export markets in Singapore, New
Guinea, United Kingdom and Australia.
This situation has managed to make the
company competitive and become a leader
in the production and marketing of soy
sauce.

Hajjah Aminah Food


Industries specialising in
western cuisines
By: Rohani Md Yon
Corporate Communication and Quality Centre, MARDI

he experience of living in Australia for over 20 years made Norlia Mohd


Yusof well versed about the ins and outs of the meat-based business world.
The introduction of the meat portion concept in restaurants and hotels was
very well received by consumers in Kuala Lumpur. During the period between
2000 and 2004, sales of portion meats which were mainly imported from New
Zealand and Australia, reached about RM1 million per month at that time.
To expand the business, Norlia planned to produce a series of products based on
processed meats with added value. For this purpose, the Oz-Asian Food Services
Sdn. Bhd. was established on 2 February 2000. The company was renamed as
Hajjah Aminah Food Industries Sdn. Bhd. or better known as HAFI on 9 August
2006. The main activities involved the production of simple-to-cook, ready-to-cook
and ready-to-eat meat products.

Products of HAFI

HAFI began operation in 2008 in its own premises located in Oakland Commerce
Square, Seremban. The 54-year-old entrepreneur began to develop a series of
western food products such as frozen meat chops and steaks using the Hajjah
Aminah brand and Italian-style food using the Hello Italy brand. Norlia never
stopped looking for ideas to broaden the market segment. Since June 2011, HAFI
developed a new product range which offers a series of Moroccan cuisines based
on meat, chicken, beef and lamb. Based on these products, HAFI accepted an offer
from Halal Industry Development Corporation (HDC) to become a franchisor for
Moroccan food.

Potato-based products

In 2009, Norlia pioneered the development of a new potato-based product by


creating potess especially for the western food lovers. Improvement of product
quality was done in collaboration with MARDI. Commercial production of potess
was carried out using a modified murtabak machine invented by MARDI.
The innovation in potess won HAFI the Agriculture Innovation Award during
HPPNK 2010. At the same event, the company was declared as the winner of the
Prime Ministers Special Award.

Conquer the world ... Our vision is to


become a model of local food processing
company which operates at the global
level. Norlia Mohd Yusof

New markets

HAFI often takes the opportunity to test the acceptance of new products while
participating in food exhibition shows. Among the customers of HAFI are Kuala
Lumpur Airport Services (KLAS), LSG Skychefs Brahims Sdn. Bhd., Qatar
Airways, Emirates Airways, Hotel Sheraton, Hotel Equatorial and Cold Storage
Malaysia. At the end of 2011, potess was also exported to the Philippines and
Indonesia. The opening of new markets has enabled HAFI to increase yearly sales
of about RM2.8 million.

Matching Grant

In 2008, HAFI was offered the matching grant scheme by Ministry of Agriculture
and Agro-based Industry to increase production capacity and improve the
companys premises. The following year, HAFI was also granted with the same
grant to improve the companys premises.

Challenges and opportunities

One of the main challenges faced by HAFI is the limited processing capacity due
to limited processing area which is unable to accommodate increase in production
capacity. However, Norlia was thankful when the Negeri Sembilan state offered
HAFI to use the old Veterinary Department buildings for product processing.

Certification

In line with the companys objective to provide clean and safe products at reasonable
prices to meet customer satisfaction, HAFI obtained the Halal certification since
2004. In May 2011, HAFI was awarded the MARDI Quality Assurance System
(MQAS) certification for potess production which met the standards set by
MARDI. Concerned about food quality and safety, HAFI is also aiming to get the
HACCP certification. Currently, the 30 staffs of HAFI give their full commitment
to comply with the certification system in order to maintain the companys image.

March 2016

11

SUCCESS STORY

Leader
in pickle
industry in
Malaysia
By: Zainun Che Ahamad and
Aslinah Lee Nyuk Fong
Promotion and Business
Development Centre, MARDI

he entrepreneur who owns Pak


Ali Food Industries Sdn. Bhd.,
Alias Hj. Ali is the eldest son of
Pak Ali (Hj Ali Omar), the founder of
Jeruk Madu Pak Ali. Since an early
age, he was guided by Pak Ali to be an
entrepreneur.
Alias was born in 1974 in Penang
and graduated with a certificate in
electrical engineering. He started to
be an entrepreneur in the business
of preparation and sale of food such
as traditional cakes, chicken rice and
tomato rice with various assortment
of dishes and also specialises in
preparation of fruit juices.
Starting with sales in night
markets in Penang, he later ventured
into the catering business and at the
same time he had stalls selling food in
school canteens and Universiti Sains
Malaysia (USM). His most popular
dish in USM at that time was kuetiau
soup or kuetiau theng.
Seeing business opportunities that
abound in the business of fruit pickles
which at that time was monopolised by
two or three players, and with doubtful
halal status, Alias and his father

Pak Ali, began to carry out their own


R&D in terms of product formulation,
marketing plans, supply of raw
materials, packaging and customer
needs and taste. The study continued
for over a year in 2007 and with small
scale processing and sale of fruit pickles
in the daily markets, the brand Jeruk
Madu Pak Ali was born in 2008.
In 2009, Jeruk Madu Pak Ali
Enterprise was officially launched
with an initial capital of RM30,000 and
operated with only 6 employees. The
factory area was 7,000 square feet with
pickle production rate at 10 tonnes/
month during that period. In 2011,
the company diversified its products to
include fruit salad dressing, nutmeg
juice, mace balm, nutmeg soap, dodol
and dried pickles under the Pak Ali
brand. In March 2013, the company
operated a second plant (an area of
54,131 square feet) with 75 employees
under Pak Ali Food Industries Sdn.
Bhd. Pickle production rate increased
to 120 tonnes/month. The increase in
production was in line with increase in
demand.

Pak Ali Food Industries Sdn. Bhd.


actively promotes its products through
the local media and by entering trade
expos to enhance product sales since
the establishment of the company.
The company also set up a pickle
processing gallery at Jeruk Madu Pak
Ali processing plant to attract tourists
and visitors.
The middlemen are also active
in collection of fruits planted by
villagers around the northern region
of Malaysia. Indirectly, the company
provided job opportunities in product
sales for local residents, graduates and
entrepreneurs throughout the country
and also farmers, middlemen and fruit
suppliers.
To date, fruit pickles produced by
this company has managed to penetrate
markets in Brunei, Ireland, Madinah
and Makkah and plans are underway
to expand the markets into Korea,
United Kingdom and South Africa.

Virgin Coconut Oil :


From Lab to Market
By: Dr. Kamariah Long
Research Specialist, MARDI

n recent years, the successful


commercialisation
of
virgin
coconut oil (VCO) in the market has
drawn the attention of scientists into
researching for its future potential as a
form of functional food oil, as well as for
possible uses in the pharmaceutical,
nutraceutical and cosmetics industries.
In 2006, MARDIs researches
successfully enhanced the virgin
coconut oil to produce a novel product
that contains effective amounts of
antimicrobial components with a broad
spectrum of antimicrobial activities.
One such product developed is an
Activated Virgin Coconut Oil (AVCO)
that has pharmaceutical value and has
advantages over many of the synthetic
antibacterial and antifungal creams in
the market.
In-vivo studies showed that AVCO
can be used as an effective agent to
treat diseases in animals like footrot
in sheep, treating wounds after
docking operation of lambs, preventing
navel infection in goats and treating
orf (commonly known as contagious
ecthyma) infection in goats.
On 13 November 2007, MARDI
received RM4.5 million grant and
selected Wawasan Tebrau Sdn. Bhd.
(now known as Wawasan Agrolipids
Sdn. Bhd.) to be its collaborator for
this pre-commercialisation project.

The company is the process expert


in fats and oils and due to their
extensive experience, the pilot plant
for production of VCO and AVCO in
Pasir Gudang, Johor was established
5 months earlier than the original
schedule.
MARDIs
collaboration
with
Wawasan Agrolipids Sdn. Bhd. has
synergised the competencies and
capabilities of both parties to expedite
and develop a new process which is cost
effective, efficient and competitive. With
the new process flow, they were able to
improve the quality of VCO and AVCO
produced by this plant which has been
certified with GMP and HACCP issued
by the International Accredited Body,
Lloyds Register Quality Assurance
Ltd. The pilot plant has the capacity
to utilise 500 kg of desiccated coconut/
batch and produce 300 litres of VCO/
batch. VCO produced by this plant is
now marketed in Malaysia, Australia
and Japan under the brand name of
ItWorks!.
In February 2009, MARDI also
signed the MOA with Biotropics
Malaysia Berhad (BMB) for marketing
and selling of AVCO worldwide. This
company has been granted an exclusive
license by MARDI to:
a) undertake preliminary studies
based on the available data or

Anti-dandruff Shampoo and Anti-acne


Cream containing AVCO as active
ingredients Formulated by Biotropics
Malaysia Bhd.

information and to further use, develop


and undertake researches necessary
for producing marketable products for
human use based on the AVCO; and
b) subsequently manufacture, use and
sell the products worldwide. Currently,
AVCO technology has been successfully
granted patents in Malaysia, Indonesia,
Philippines, Singapore, Japan, India
and Germany.
Biotropics Malaysia Bhd. has
conducted clinical trials on the use of
AVCO for human applications as stated
below:
AVCO as anti-dandruff treatment
is better than some of the antifungal
agents
AVCO as antifungal for foot care
against stinky foot disease cause by
Trichophyton rubrum and white spots
disease cause by Tinea versicolor
AVCO as effective antibacterial agent
for acne cause by Propionibacterium
acnes
AVCO as preservative in skin care
products (Cosmoceutical products).
In addition, BMB has carried out
toxicology studies of AVCO and
developed a safety data sheet. To date,
BMB has developed two ingredients
from AVCO based on the specific

indications, and they are trademarked


as ScalproTM and AcnaeTM . ScalproTM
is an ingredient that is incorporated
into shampoo or similar products for
anti-dandruff properties. AcnaeTM is an
ingredient that is incorporated into face
products for anti-acne effects. These
two ingredients were first introduced
into the market in Anaheim West Expo,
Carlifornia, USA, in March 2011. AVCObased products were introduced into
the Malaysian market by Treenea Sdn.
Bhd. during late 2014. This company in
collaboration with Biotropics Malaysia
Bhd., has managed to launch two skin
care products, namely, Nutrees Hair
Revitalizer (for dandruff control) and
Nuskeen Acne Cream.
Challenges for commercialisation of
AVCO still exists and future marketing
plans and continuous research on
AVCO-based product development
remains necessary. Continuous efforts
by BMB in marketing the AVCO
worldwide is important and the
continuous support from government
is also essential for the successful
commercialisation of this local R&D
product.

12

March 2016

EVENTS

Centre of Excellence for Rice


Research & Innovation

n 21 January 2016, the Malaysian Agricultural


Research and Development Institute (MARDI)
officially opened the Centre of Excellence for
Rice Research & Innovation, known as rice@MARDI
at MARDI Seberang Perai, Pulau Pinang.
MARDI Seberang Perai is the first research station
in operation. Research activities began in 1972 in
buildings and areas on loan from the Department
of Agriculture in Bumbung Lima. In 1981, the
research station received 150 hectares of land in
Bertam and the area was developed into an office
complex and research facilities. MARDI Seberang
Perai was officially opened in 1991 and supported by
research stations in Kedah, Kelantan and Selangor.
The Centre of Excellence for Rice Research &
Innovation, MARDI Seberang Perai plays a role in rice
development including the development of varieties,
pest and disease management, providing fertilizer and
nutrient management packages, introduce innovation
in mechanisation and automation, implement transfer
and commercialisation of technologies, facilities for
Rice Gene Bank and as a centre for National Rice
Foundation Seed production.
The focus of research and development includes
the development of high yielding varieties with high
quality rice, cost-effective production systems with
emphasis on optimum use of inputs, management of
pests, diseases and weeds as well as the development

of postharvest handling technologies and efficient product


development. Research and development in MARDI Seberang
Perai has successfully produced 43 rice varieties since its
inception. Apart from that, the production of Integrated Pest
Management packages, postharvest handling technologies
and mechanisation of rice production systems has been
successfully developed. This is where the new rice varieties
and innovation are developed and utilised by more than
296,000 farmers covering an area of 350,000 hectares or
95% of the paddy fields in Malaysia. In conjunction with the
opening ceremony, Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs)
were also exchanged between MARDI and several private
companies.
The opening ceremony of rice@MARDI was officiated by
Yang Berhormat Dato Sri Ahmad Shabery Cheek, Minister
of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry. Also present at the
event was Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Rezal Merican Bin
Naina Merican, MP for Kepala Batas, Yang Berhormat Dato
Haji Roslan Bin Saidin, Pinang Tunggal assemblyman, Yang
Berhormat Dato Mohd Fadil Bin Osman, Chairman of the
Board of Governors MARDI and the Honourable Dato Dr.
Sharif Haron, Director General of MARDI.

By: Hazrul Amry Mohd Noor


Corporate Communication and
Quality Centre, MARDI

Padi MARDI Siraj 297 High Yielding Paddy Variety

alaysian Agricultural Research and


Development Institute (MARDI)
recently introduced a new paddy
variety, Padi MARDI Siraj 297, a highly disease
resistant variety with a yield potential of up to
eight tonnes per hectare, in Arau, Perlis. The
declaration ceremony was officiated by His
Royal Highness, the Raja of Perlis, Tuanku
Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamalullail. At the
ceremony His Royal Highness was accompanied
by the Raja Muda of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Putra
Faizuddin Jamalullail.
Padi MARDI Siraj 297 is the newest paddy
variety with a high potential to give a good
harvest. It is resistant to blast disease and can
be an alternative variety to farmers, especially
in areas where there is serious leaves and
stalks blasts diseases. It is also moderately

Reducing food loss and waste with


MYSaveFood Initiative

ne third of total food produced


globally
ends
up
in
the
waste dump. In Malaysia,
approximately 15,000 metric tonnes of
food waste are generated daily from a
total of 33,000 metric tonnes of solid
waste. Out of 15,000 tonnes of food waste,
8,000 tonnes (53%) are leftover food and
about 900 tonnes of this leftover food
are UNTOUCHED and STILL EDIBLE.
This amount can actually feed 10 million
people, three times a day for a day. In
the rice supply chain, approximately
28% of rice produced is lost while in the
vegetable and fruit industry, it is also
estimated to be around 30%.
If no action is taken, by 2020, our
food waste will fill 16 towers of KLCC!

Not only will this cost billions of dollars


to manage, food waste is also the third
biggest carbon emitter contributing
negatively to the environment. Food loss
also threatens food security as resources
such as labour, water and land are also
wasted.
Realising the need to reduce food
loss and waste, the Messe Dusseldorf
Group in collaboration with the Food and
Agriculture Organisation of the United
Nations (FAO) initiated the Save Food
initiative to reduce food loss and food
waste on 27 January 2011 in Berlin,
Germany. Currently, 350 institutions and
organisations and more than 50 countries
have joined this initiative worldwide.
Reducing food loss and food waste is

resistant to brown leafhoppers. The yield potential


is comparable with the current varieties and the
taste is suitable to local consumers.
Padi MARDI Siraj 297 has been planted in
several areas in the main rice bowl. The highest
yield was obtained in Sanglang, Perlis with 8,495
kg/ha compared to MR263 (8,092 kg/ha). High yield
was also obtained in Guar Chempedak, Permatang
Bendahari and Kampong Gelam in Kedah. High
and stable potential yield are the main factors
this variety has been selected to be developed at
local verification stage. Present at the ceremony
were Chief Minister Datuk Seri Azlan Man,
State Secretary Ahmad Zamri Khairuddin and
Perlis State Exco for Agriculture and Agro-based
Industry, Plantation Industries and Commodities
Ahmad Bakri Ali.

also one agenda in FAOs Sustainable


Development Goals to ensure that future
global food production is sustainable.
Malaysia joined this initiative and
Malaysia SaveFood (MYSaveFood) was
formed in 2015. The main objectives
of MYSaveFood initiative are to create
a network consisting of government
agencies,
private
organisations,
community and residential associations
to drive the MYSaveFood programme and
create an awareness that reducing food
loss and food waste is vital. Ministries,
agencies, hotels, retailers, food companies,
farm and consumer associations, charity
bodies and individuals are all needed to
form the network and reduce food loss and
food waste.
MYSaveFood@MARDI was launched
on 15 January 2016 by the Director
General of MARDI, Dato Dr. Sharif Haron
at Hall D, MAEPS. With MYSaveFood@
MARDI, it is hoped that MARDI officers
and staff are more aware on how to reduce
food loss and food waste in MARDI as well
as at home. Posters on tips to reduce food
waste at home and during meetings were
distributed to everyone during the launch.
MYSaveFood@MARDI will also focus on
reducing waste during the fasting month
(Ramadhan) and during eid celebration.
Many activities will be held by the
MYSaveFood Network. At MARDI,

By: Muhammad Zahid Azmi


Corporate Communication and
Quality Centre, MARDI
research to reduce food loss will
continue for rice and other commodities.
Meanwhile, the national launch of
MYSaveFood will be held on 10 March
2016
at
Putrajaya
International
Convention Centre (PICC) during the
FAO Regional Conference for Asia and
the Pacific (APRC). The establishment of
Malaysia Save Food Network Workshop
was held on 12 October 2015 at MARDI
to initiate the MYSaveFood network.
The workshop was co-organised by MOA,
MARDI and FAO and was attended by
more than 50 agencies.
Other programmes planned include
awareness programmes at schools,
universities, public areas, social media
and during festive seasons. Awareness
materials such as posters, books
and videos will be distributed and
knowledge sharing programmess will
also be organised. The main upcoming
event, MYSaveFood Forum will be held
in May 2016. The forum will involve
representatives from the government and
private sectors as well as charity bodies.
This forum will serve as a good platform
to share knowledge and information on
initiatives to reduce food loss and food
waste. Reducing food loss and food waste
in Malaysia is everyones responsibility
and MYSaveFood invites everyone to join
the network for this noble quest.

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