Domain 4

Now this is the hardest domain for me so far which is domain 4 that is the feasibility study process. Feasibility study is the process in simple word to know whether the concepts that we suggested earlier can be produce or not. This domain need us to do a lot of research and study to know if the concepts that we had was able to produce in the industry and the cost with availability of the ingredients that we gonna used. Then, we have to list all the machine, ingredients, technical ingredients and packaging that can be used to manufacture our product in the industry. The result is then being categorized into number that we gonna use later to make it into percentage. We had been given a guideline and template to help us.

After enormous research and study were being done we got the results for it. From the feasibility study of all the five alpha concepts that we had, sizzling noodle, cook together and pour over had the three highest percentages of success rate among the others five alpha concepts because of the ingredients and machine or processing availability that will be used to produce this concepts

Domain 3

This is the best domain so far me because this is where our creativity explode in our mind and ready shape it out into reality. Domain 3 is the ideation process whereby we create an idea of concept for our instant noodles based on the respond given by the respondent that we get from our market and consumer study. From that we have to first create 10 concepts and then after presentation of the 10 concepts we have to come out with 5 concepts and this is how the process flow. The 10 concepts was sizzling cheese Hawaiian chicken, YM handmade noodle, YM I fu Mie, black garlic soup pan mee noodles, dry and soup chicken noodle, YM goreng sambal, YM spicy beef, YM u.s.a, crazy noodle and YM mee goreng salted egg. Each of the idea was based on the feedback and analysis of market study and consumer study. After several discussion and brainstorming of idea thus this 10 idea of alpha concepts come out. Since the comments that we got after the presentation was the 10 concepts that we had was much more like a recipe name rather than concepts and based on the voted given to our 10 concepts by our other groups thus we do some improvement and modification on the concepts before short list it into 5 concepts.

Although, the 10 alpha concepts that we had have attractive flavours  but there are lack of innovation in term of packaging and noodle itself. The concepts that did not have the vote for the best five concepts were removed but some of the criteria are still being used to combine with other concepts to enhanced and improve it more. The five alpha concepts were chosen based on the vote given to the concepts and been modified to improve it. The five chosen alpha concepts that been rename was Pour Over, Sizzling, Cup noodle, Dry and Soup and Cook Together.

The reason why the five concepts were chosen was because of the vote given and discussion on the concepts. The concepts chosen have certain criteria which are have big portion of the noodles, innovation of cooking method, innovation of packaging and variety of flavours. It also the combination of the 10 alpha concepts that been compress into five alpha concepts thus remain most of the feedback and suggestion received from the consumer study.

Domain 2

I will explain about domain 2 in our final year project. In domain 2 is the consumer study which we will interview random respondents  in a group with minimum of 5 and maximum of 10 in a group per session. There are several types of question that been asked to the respondents which are symbolic study question, purchasing behaviour and eating pattern. From this types of question that been asked to them, they will discuss it among themselves whether they agreed on each other or have different opinion themselves. Our responsibility was just to guide them and help them to give their opinion. One session can last minimum of 15 minutes to 1 hour depends on the size of the group itself. The respondents that we get was very helpful and energetic as they really speak out from their mind and give us their truthful opinion.

sample of interview questions

The results was then analysed and related back to our market study as market study is only an open ended questions thus did not allowed us to get more in depth answers while by doing consumer study it help us develop the results that we get from market study to understand it more behind the reason that why they choose the answer in the market study. Overall, we are satisfied with the opinion given by the respondents and we can identified some pattern that can be related back to market study. This also was an enjoyed activity although it is our assignment as we learned to handled people and communicate with them in proper manners.  

Domain 1

Final Year Project!!!

Finally it is time for my final year project to begin during my last year degree in culinology. So the topic that been given to my batch this time is to produce an instant noodles by utilizing underutilize crop/co-product. This is quite a challenge as instant noodles is a big product available in the market with it is fans and customers. To create a product that can have the same or better than in the market with added nutrients and healthier will be a tough challenge for me and my groups member which is gilang, tracy and vai. Before produce this instant noodles there are several process or domain that need to be done in order to understands the market and demands of this instant noodles. There are 5 domain that need to be done which is market study, consumer study, ideation, feasibility study and concept acceptance. After that only we will have one final product or concept which is the beta concept that we gonna produce in semester 6.

Domain 1

Now let me explain a little bit about what we had done in the domain 1 process. In domain 1 which is the market study is to understand the market of instant noodles so we in this domain we have to prepare a questionnaire to been given to random people. Because of the safety and constraint of cost so we do it online and in Taylor's university only. We manage to get 200 respondents for our market study which is quite a lot thus help us to understand instant noodle market.

sample of our questionnaire

The answer then will be analysed and recorded based on what the respondents had answered. Based on the answer it can be conclude generally that they quite satisfied with the instant noodle in the market and that they want more flavour, healthier and bigger portion of instant noodles. The main reason that the respondents eat instant noodles is because they busy and also craving for it. We had a lot of fun doing this domain as we have to interact directly with the respondents and help them to fill in the questionnaire.

Last Class :(

For the last class we discuss and learned about food additives in food. Food additives are usually use in small amount in food to make it look appealing and tasty. This is what consumer want because they want to buy product which has nice colour rather than dull and taste great. Generally food additives used in market are safe to consume but in moderate intakes.

There 2 types of additives which is artificial and natural. it also helps to prolong the shelf life of food so it can last longer and can be keep until needed. There is a good and bad of this but consumer should play a role to understand and know of their food that they eat.

This is the last class of experimental food products and I had learned a lot of things in this class and my biggest proud is our ice cream that we make.

p/s: you never know until learn 

Fiber 101

We learned about fiber, yes fiber!!! the trending health product now days. Now I know that fiber is not about things in vegetable only but it has 3 category which is soluble fiber, insoluble fiber and gums. Insoluble fiber helps the movement of feces through our intestines and help control as well as balance the acidity in our intestines while soluble fiber binds with the fatty acids and they also prolong stomach emptying thus sugar was released and absorbed slowly.

Gums are also known as hydrocolloids. it can form viscous solutions and most of them do not gel. They have a variety of uses in food as they have many different functional roles. They can work as texture modifiers, thickeners, gelling agents  and emulsifiers. That is so cool!!

Sensory Test of Ice Cream

So finally the time has come for our ice cream to undergo sensory test to know how the people acceptance of our ice cream. For this test we have garnish our ice cream with lady finger, cocoa powder, chocolate-coffee sauce and almond flake to make it interesting and presentable. We choose it to make like ice cream potong style.

 sample of our ice cream product

part of the people coming to the test

After the result being analysis we have a good feedback from it although some it not really like our ice cream but there are people who like it also. some of the comment are that our ice cream taste like coffee, not smooth and nice.

Thank you for your support by coming to our test...

Well there can be some improvement to our ice cream but overall we satisfied with it. Thanks for my team to make it this work well.

p/s: teamwork is the keyword ;)