Nescafe and other coffee

 About coffee...no, not about the caffeine....

It was raining, and I had a coffee. and then I remember a lectures on coffee beans.
Have you tried brewing coffee with beans in a coffee maker? It does smell good isn't it?
well you're notice that the beans will stay cloud (or sediment, cloud is the term we used in food science) in the coffee maker. The coffee you drink is actually an extraction of the coffee beans. I bet you think that coffee bean dissolved in the coffee, isn't it? oh, and also, the aroma comes from heat-generated volatile compounds that is released when you brewing it.

That's for our friend in overseas. In Malaysia, I bet most of us will rare see a coffee maker let alone observe it. We used instant coffee here instead. like Nescafe, Kopiko, Kopi 434 and other instant coffee.Have you noticed that once we make the coffee, there will be sediment at the bottom of the cup? What make this happen?

click to zoom in

The reason for both sediment in the coffee bean and the coffee instant is the size reduction of the coffee. The reason why the sediment is actually due to uneven size of the coffee powder. In coffee beans, this is no big deal, since the beans itself is actually not same size for all.  but in a instant coffee, well that a big thing.

The instant coffee is a processed food, so it was made with mill ( a machine that make something into small size, powder size). There's many type and brand of mill machinary out there. But the quality of the powder it makes can be seen by the sediment formed your cup.

In a food processing, the smaller the size of the powder, the more soluble it is. We call it "size reduction" in the food industry and also in engineering. The instant coffee were made by grinding the coffee bean (as well as other things... which I should not tell you...yet) and reduce it into a powder form along with some sugar and cream.Usually, the smaller the size reduction, the more prone it will be damaged easily, especially during processing in the factory.

In the miller, there's a rotational metal slab that hammered these coarse coffee powder into a finer smooth powder. However, as the rotational become faster, there's bound for friction. This causes heat and may produce some size differences in the product. When in a sachet of instant coffee contains an uneven size powder, there's bound to be some sediment in the cup. Unless, you leave it for a while. This will dissolve the sediment, but make the coffee getting cold as well.

So, how about Nescafe? Nescafe is a bit different. Did you notice that the nescafe powder are easily soluble by water, even by some tiny droplets? At your kitchen, just put a small grain on top a table and just pour one tiny drop onto it. It will surely dissolve in a matter of second, regardless of temperature.

This because Nescafe is actually not made from grinded coarsed coffee bean. Instead, Nescafe is actually an extract of coffee beans that had been liquidized and solidify into powder form. No wonder that the nescafe is easily dissolve.

So, next time you drink something, look at the bottom of the cup. 

Busy with class and MDEC

this month is very busy for me,
All these exams and assignments actually manage to make me sick for 2 days!

However, beneath all the work, I still manage enter a competition, A bussiness Idea competition conducted by the Multimedia Development Corporation (MDEC).

Think of it, as a branch of goverment department in charge of developing technology in Malaysia.

Well, I just entered the first out of five series of the competition. Wish me luck..

This is my idea, I made it in under 15 minute before the workshop started. hehe, many people praised it..
You might as well take a look and download it form the link:

http://www.mediafire.com/?cf723ynyn55om6r

A sneak peek : page 3 from the booklet

Sensory Evaluation - Introduction

Sensory Evaluation

Introduction

Sensory evaluation technique had been used to evaluate the development process of a product, especially in food industry since the past  50 years. Most of the consumer would buy food that is based on sensorial experience; such as sweet, chocolaty, smooth texture and others.

Most food technologist, especially the food sensory analyst, knew the importance of sensory evaluation in measuring and choosing the correct or most favored food attribute or reaction. So, before the product was finalized, they had to make sure the product was design based on consumer preference; hence we can say that sensory evaluation is an analytical form of consumer testing. The food technologist just need to make sure that they have these 4 key factor in conducting the consumer testing:

1. What is to be measured?

For example, the product to be launched is some of a new carbonated drinks. But does is taste good? (too general, cannot be measured) Does this new beverage taste sweeter (can be measured by Descriptive test) than Pepsi or Coke? (Can be measured, Affective Test)

2.What test need to be used?

 From previous example, note the mention of descriptive test and Preference test. These 2 test have its own objective (plus one not mentioned); Descriptive test is a test that is set to define the characteristic of the product. Let’s just say like this; You created a new chocolate, and you say it’s taste very chocolaty. PEOPLE WILL NOT BELIEVE YOU SINCE YOU’RE THE MAKER OF THE CHOCOLATE. So you need a proof that it taste like a chocolate. You need a test and it is descriptive test. You need a panel of at least 30 people to take your test and evaluate the result. You can only say it taste chocolaty when the statistical result from the 30 panel say so. There are many type of descriptive test (the function of test is different based on the type of test; we touched on that later)

Affective test; like it’s name is a test whether the panel like your product or other’s product. (came from the word affection) The most famous one is a hedonic scale test. Your product and your competitor’s will be given marks by the panelist and based on the cumulative mark (sort of; involve calculating statistically), it will show which one the panelist prefer. Like descriptive test, it has many type of test (hedonic test is one example of available Affective test)

One other test not mention is a discriminative test. The function of this test is to make sure your product is not the same with product in the market. It’s look like Affection test (panel will evaluate  your product and you’re competitors). But the result can only tell you whether it is same or not the same with the other product. This is crucial, since the affective test can only tell whether the consumer prefer your product or competitor product, Still does not tell whether it’s the same or not. Same as before, many type.. bla..bla..bla

3. Define the panelist

This is also important, First, kindly define your product and your target customer. And when the time come to do the testing, make sure the panelist come from your target customer characteristic. For example; your making a new breakfast cereal for kids. It’s a no brainer; you just need kids for your panelist. Don’t accept old man as a panelist. Old man doesn’t eat cereal (that much). You got what I mean?

4. Analyze the data statistically

This is the time to deploy your statistic skills. (beside during the research) You make correlation or hypothesis test on your panel evaluation. If it’s good, proceed on to the next stage of development, if it isn’t, you knew what to do right? (tips: change your product based on the result)

You’re understand more on why is this important when you’re creating a product. It’s look like a business subject, but it is actually not. It is a science subject (still relevant to the blog title; easy science note.) The sensory evaluation subject is actually a statistical-neuro-biology-pseudo-psychology subject. I post more on this later. For now, Enjoy the post.

REFERENCE

A.Aminah 2004. Prinsip Penilaian Sensori (In Malay) Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. UKM Publisher, 

Bangi, Selangor. Malaysia

V.A. Anna 1998. Consumer Sensory Testing for Product Development University of Georgia. Aspen Publishers. Gaithersburg, Maryland. USA.

Product Life Cycles

PRODUCT LIFE CYCLES : STAGES AND STRATEGY

Product Life Cycles (PLC)
The concept concerns the life of a product in the market with respect to business/commercial costs and sales measures.

3 assumptions on PLC:

1. Products have a limited life and thus and every product have a life cycle
2. Product sales pass through distinct stages, each posing different challenges, opportunity and problems to the seller
3. Products require different marketing,financing, manufacturing, purchasing, and human resources stratergies in each life cycles.

STRATERGIES ON PLC STAGES

Product Life cycle characteristics

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

• Begins when the company develops a new product idea
• Sales are none
• Investment cost are high
• Profits are negative

INTRODUCTION

• Low sales
• High Cost per customer
• Negative Profits
• Innovators are targeted
• Little Competition

Objective: Create awareness of the product and ready trial
4P 's Startergy
Product: Offer basic Product
Price: Cost - Plus
Place: Build selective Distribution
Promotion: Heavy expenditure in order to meet objective.

GROWTH

• Rapidly rising sales
• Average cost per customer
• Rising Profit
• Early adopters are targeted
• Growing competition (copycat's arrival)

Objective: Build Awareness and interest in the mass market
4P's Stratergy
Product: Offer Product Extensions, services, warranty
Price: Price to penetrate market
Place: Build Intensive Distribution
Promotion: Reduce Expenditure to take advantage of consumer demand

MATURITY

• Sales peak
• Low cost per customer
• High Profits
• Middle majority are targeted
• Competition begins to decline (if you survived)

Objective: Maximize profits while defending market share
4P's Stratergy
Product: Diversify Brand and Models
Price: Price to match or beat competitors
Place: Build More intensive Distribution
Promotion: Stress brand difference and benefits

DECLINE

• Declining sales
• Low cost per customer
• Declining profits
• Laggard are targeted
• Declining competition (you're dying as well)

Objective: Reduce Expenditure
4p's Strategy
 Product: Phase out weak items and "Milk" the brand
Price: cut price
Place: Go selective; phase out unprofitable outlets
Promotion: To retain hard-core loyal customer

New Product Development 4

Division and fusion in Making new product (food)

New Product Developmet 3

New Product Development 3? Previous post here

Factor for Product succes

These are the reason on why some product fail or some product thrive.

In Technology Viability, It depends on the people working on it; The company that is running the product development and the people in the project.

Depend on the Company, It may have it's own work culture, (like Google; a creative work culture), stratergy and Research and Development (R&D) intensity. If your company is not toward new R&D. the chance of your product to be seel on market is quite low.

on the Project factor; It depend on the people running the show. If it is a cheerful harmony team, it will probably produce a better product than the group with lack of interaction.

Next Post here

New Product Development 2

Stages in New Product Development

Previous Post here

There are 8 steps in NPD;

1. Idea Generation
2. Idea Screening
3. Concept Development and Testing
4. Marketing Stratergy
5. Bussiness Analyses
6. Product Development
7. Test Marketing
8. Commercialization

The pictures shows the rough guide to each of it. Hope you like it


Next Post here

New Product Development 1

NPD 1

This is about New Product Development. Even if we're in science, we're need to learn a bussiness aspect in our education. This is so that we're are able to make some opportunity when the time comes.

So, what is New Product Development (NPD)?
-It is the Process of Bringing new product to Market.
-The product is a set of benefit offered by someone in order to acquire something (mostly your money). It can be tangible and intangible.

So, how to make a new product, based on the 7 stratergies mentioned in the picture?

Well, here's how:

1. Segmentation
Make your product into different segment. It is a case of material structuralism.
For example: In making an instant Noodle; the flavour of the noodle is not assimilated with the noodle; instead, you just need to open it up. If you don't want it, don't open it.

2. Merging
Merge 2 or similar flavour into 1. Usually confectionary product does this. For example: White chocolate is a merging of white milk and chocolate. (the white actually does not come from milk, but.. that's for another day.)

3. Universality
Include an addition for ease of consumption. For example, as in instant noodle cup; there's always a small fork under the lid. this is actually give convenience to the customer.

4. Preliminary Action
Make it able to be eat instantly with minimal processing. For example; precooked meals and meats; like the one you've eaten in a MAS airplane. (Have you ride one?)

Next Post


Source:
Mrs. Noorul Syuhada, Food Product Development Lecturer, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

Basic Statistic 3

Collecting Data

Basic statistic 3?
If you're miss previous post look here: and here

Well, in order to make a deductive reasoning for a research, you'll need a data. Data is imnportant as it is crucial in making evidence of your statement, after it is analysed.

There are 4 type of data; based on where do you get it.

1. Experimental Data
This data, you obtain it by running experiments in the field or lab works. It is based on the sample from a population of what you're researching. Example: you want to check the protein content of Big Mac burger of McDonalds. You just buy big mac from your nearby Mcdonald. It would be crazy to buy Big Mac from all the Mcdonalds in the Nation. In this case, Your nearby Mcdonald is a Sample of the whole McDonald Population.

Note: in this case, you are under assumption that all Big Mac made elsewhere is the same as the local big mac. but this part is for another day.

If you handling data like this, you're basically a technologist, or a scientist.

2. Historical Data
To obtain this data, you may need to do some paperwork, clearance and even several recomendation letter in order to get. data like this are like the statistics of a population in a town, production rate, sales of a company. etc.

3. Survey Data
Survey data are data that is collected from polls. Usually a questionaire is given to the people for answering. This is a tedious type of data beside Historical data. You need to handle the people view's, attitude and patience as well for this.


If you're handling data like 2 and 3, you're from social science.

4. Instrumental Data
Like it's name, you obtained the data from instruments. For us Food Scientist, we obtain data from HPLC, DSC, Viscometer, Colorimeter, etc.This is different from experimental data in which, the parameter can be generated and easy told, it is not done by us. it is done by the Machines.

Well that's it for now. Next will be sampling techniques.

Basic Statistic 2

Continuation from previous post

VARIABLES

RANDOM VARIABLE
Can be defined as a function that changes something by some manner. Laymen speaking, a random "something" that causes "Something". It's like Karma, man. hehe.

for example, If you eat so much [causing variable], will make you fat [resulting variable].

In statistics, the random variable is a set of value that will change the ANOTHER set of value. In other word:
It's like this:

SET DATA A	AFFECT	SET DATA B
12	------->	48
31		123
43		44

That's the principle of Variable and if it's value is determined by chance, then it is Random Variable.
This Random Variable then, can also be divided into:

1. Qualitative Variable.
An attribute/categorical variable, that cannot be measure by counting. A code or tag of something categorical is also a qualitative Variable.

example, A male will always attract a younger female:

Age of Male Partner	Age of Female Partner
32	23
34	24
38	23

 
In this case, the age is some kind of a "code" that label a data/subject in sample.


2. Quantitaive Variable
a Numerical or ranked data. Can be classified into:

• DISCRETE VARIABLE
• has a countable/ finite number of distinct value. Example:

• WEEK	Product completed
  1	213
  2	243
  3	190

   

• CONTINOUS VARIABLE
• A data that can assume any value as long it is within an interval

• Height at age 3 (Metre)	Height at age 5 (Metre)
  1.2	1.3
  1.1	1.25
  1.2	1.4

Well, that's it for today lesson, Hope you enjoy it. Next post will be on Sampling and Collecting Data.
If any question, Feel free to ask by posting your comments!