SYNOPSIS

Nutrima Kitchen MARDI is a centralized kitchen via the commisary food service system where food is prepared in mass and distributed to a receiving or satellite kitchens. Food is either cooked conventionally, stored in frozen or chilled forms before transported to the kitchens. This kitchen in MARDI was developed to undertake researches on cook chill products and is now well-equipped with state-of-the-art kitchen facilities with chilling and regeneration capabilities. The building was also set-up conforming to the GMP and HACCP as preventive measures of food safety. Various traditional dishes are formulated and prepared using cook-chill methods there.
The cook chill central kitchen centralizes food production and transfers food to satellites (receiving kitchens) where it is regenerated and served to customers. Regeneration or reheating can be done using microwave or conventional ovens, steamers or pressure steamers and even hot water. This type of food service system is getting popular in Malaysia as compared to the other developed countries. This is due to the increase in franchise food outlets, hence larger volume of foods with consistent qualities are required.   Besides, a diverse variety of food can be prepared using modern equipment and technologies, have led to the recent rise in the numbers of such establishments. This food service system is realized by airlines, institutional caterers, hospitals and healthcare foodservices. For instance, the food preparation for airline industry takes place in a central kitchen near to the airport. The preparation begins when the food is cooked, pre-plated, sealed and either chilled or frozen at the central kitchen. The prepared meals are placed in closed carts and the carts are then transported by truck to the airplane (satellites). Before serving the customers, the hot items will be reheated to the appropriate temperatures. This presentation describes the cook chill concept and food production facilities at the Nutrima Kitchen, MARDI.


SPEAKER’S BIODATA - MOHD ZAINAL ISMAIL

Academic Qualifications:
1.    B.S. Agricultural Engineering - Iowa State University Ames, Iowa, USA
2.    M. Eng. Sc. (Agric. Engineering) - University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia. Current Position: Director - Mechanization and Automation Research Centre (MA), MARDI.

Experience: More than 30 years
1.    Project Consultant – UNDP, Afghanistan Fruit  Drying
2.    Project Consultant – Traditional Food Mechanization, Brunei Darussalam
3.    Governing Council  Member – United Nations and Asia Pacific Centre for Agricultural Mechanization (UNAPCAEM)
4.    Technofund Projects:     2 i.e. Fruit puree processing using horizontal screw press and Vitato Flour and Pre-Mix Factory
Area of Expertise:
Traditional food mechanization, food drying, central kitchen design, food production system, food processing facilities and factory design.