Browsing by Author "Gunathilake, R.P.D."

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    Development of Green Tea Enriched Crackers
    (Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka, 2013) Barwin, B.Z S.; Gunathilake, R.P.D.; Jayasinghe, A.H.M.
    Green tea has high beneficial characters than the other processed tea such as black tea and oolong tea. It is a source of anti oxidants that can be used in food lipid stabilization (Mildner- Szkudlarz et al., 2009). Keeping in view on the above factor, this study was designed to develop a green tea enriched crackers and evaluate its physiochemical and sensory qualities. Methodology The green tea particles were powdered using a grinder. Cracker samples were processed from dough containing 0, 1, 2 and 3% green tea powder, brew and powder with brew in 1:1 ratio. The formula used was as follows: 165 g wheat flour, 22.3 g vegetable fat, 3.2 g salt, 2.3 g malt syrup, 2 g glucose syrup, 1 g yeast, 0.5 g Ammonium carbonate and 40 ml of water. Ammonium bicarbonate and yeast was dissolved in water and added. The contents were mixed for 15 min and left to ferment for 4 hours. Green tea was added to the dough and mixed for 2 min. Then the dough pieces were sheeted to a thickness to 3.5 mm, cut using 8cm square cutter and baked at 270 to 380 °C for 8 min. Then crackers were left to cool at room temperature and were wrapped tightly with poly propylene pouches and kept until further analysis. Sensory analysis was performed by 30 untrained panelists using five point hedonic scale. Control crackers were used as the reference. Crackers were analyzed for their moisture content, crude fiber, protein, fat, ash, carbohydrate and pH according to the methods described in AOAC. Total poly phenolic content and antioxidant activity also measured to analyze the quality of product. Final product was analyzed for E-coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Yeast and mould count and total colony count (TCC). Sensory data were statistically analyzed using Friedman test with p<0.05 being considered statistically significant. The polyphenol content and proximate analysis of two samples were compared using two sample t-tests. All statistical analyses were conducted with MINITAB 15.
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    Farmers’ Perception on Extension Service Provided by Tea Small Holding Development Authority: A Case of Tea Smallholders in Nagoda DS Division
    (Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka, 2013) Munasinghe, L.K.; Gunathilake, R.P.D.; Jayasundara, D.
    Tea small holder sector holds around 70% share of national tea production. Tea Small Holding Development Authority (TSHDA) plays a pivotal role in developing the tea small holder sector through advisory and subsidy programmes. But most significant problem was the farmers’ disinclination to acquire TSHDA extension services and participate in the programmes conducted. Therefore, this study was conducted with the objectives to assess the extension services provided by the Tea Small Holding Development Authority for the growers. 150 small holders were selected randomly from 15 Grama Niladhari divisions with the highest and the lowest smallholders’ GN divisions in Nagoda. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire and collected data were analyzed using descriptive analysis and using MINITAB 14 statistical package. The results of the study revealed that TSHDA provided 10 well defined extension services to the small holders. Those were the advisory services, pH test facilities, supply of planting material, infilling subsidy, replanting with rehabilitation subsidy, training programmes for cultivation and management aspects, methods demonstration (for plucking and pruning), lessons about natural disasters such as climate change, extension worker’s availability in the field and assistance in directing green leaf to the bought leaf factories. Results showed that 64.7%, 58%, 51.3% for the pH test facility, extension worker’s availability in the field and advisory services respectively. But other identified services scored lower than 50% according to the farmers’ perception. Results of the farmers’ perception about effectiveness of the extension services revealed that the farmers believe that they have some development in skill and knowledge through the programmes conducted by TSHDA and that as a credible extension service. But their perception about the effectiveness of the extension programmes to reduce their cost of production and to increase the income was negative. The results of the study also showed that extension services should give priority to provide credit subsidy, technical information and methods, monitoring the TSHs and helping the farmers to guide their products.
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    Identifying Pattern of Worker Absenteeism in Tea Plantations
    (Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka, 2012) Rathnayaka, R.M.P.S.; Gunathilake, R.P.D.
    One of the key economic indicators of the Sri Lankan tea industry, namely the privatized large-scale plantation or estate is afflicted with low productivity and high cost of production which resulted for continuous low profit margins. Chronic absenteeism has major impact on labor productivity and cost, while workforce continuity and industry viability are threatened by out-migration for better conditions and a more fulfilling life outside the tea sector. Measuring the pattern of absenteeism is important for planning manpower requirements for production scheduling and to identify the productivity loss due to absenteeism, extent of absenteeism, frequency of absenteeism and concentration of absenteeism in Tea plantations. This has been based to conduct the research. Telbedde estate of Balangoda Plantations was selected to conduct the research. Primary data were collected through a questionnaire. Descriptive analysis was employed to determine the productivity loss due to absenteeism, extent of absenteeism, frequency of absenteeism and concentration of absenteeism. Productivity loss due to absenteeism per worker was calculated as 3.44. Participation index explains the extent of absenteeism and it was 0.3827 for the three months period of study. Frequency of absenteeism was 118.5 per 100 employees per year. Largest divisions with high number of workers recorded higher rates of absenteeism Most of the workers in the estate were absent for more than seven working days per month.
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    Investigation of Drawbacks and Misconceptions in Implementing ISO 22000: Food Safety Management System in Sri Lanka
    (Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka, 2013) Silva, P.C.P.; Gunathilake, R.P.D.; Lankachandra, S.S.
    In the modern agrifood economies, the development of food safety and quality management standards is crucial, and many firms in food alimentary chain usually face difficulties in implementing those standards.As far as Sri Lanka is concerned, it is vital to go for the concept of FSMS as it now finds themselves to participate in a global trade dealing in a wide range of food products. Thereforethe main objective of the research was to investigate the major obstacles and misconceptions encountered during the ISO 22000 certification efforts within the Sri Lankan situation. A structured survey was carried out by using a random sample of 35 firms in food alimentary chain located within the Western and North Western provinceswhere the ISO 22000:2005 Food Safety Management System has already been put into the practice.Data were gathered by using a structured questionnaire. The scale adopted in questionnaire was five point- likertscale. Collected data were processed using Minitab 15 and Microsoft Excel statistical the survey.Hypothesis testing was conducted separately for each factor toidentify the major major drawback/misconception while factor is a drawback/misconception was taken as an alternative hypothesis. For acceptance a measure as constraint, it shouldbe greater than three (midpoint of the likert scale) and then P values were used to furtherevaluate the results. According to the P values and acceptance of the alternative hypothesis results were clearly emphasizes eight major drawbacks and out of them lack of personnel furnished with the sufficient knowledge of food weak interdepartmental relationship, inadequate interpretation of standard requirements heads the list . Four major misconceptions identified were the external support is must for the system implementation, FSMS is a certificate or award gained by the company, implementation effort of the system is the responsibility of quality and production departments only and FSMS is a more complex and requirements are unachievable. Both barriers and misconceptions of FSMS lead firms to impede the successful implementation of the system within Sri Lankan situation. Out of them lack of personals furnished with the sufficient knowledge of food science and standard requirements has become the leading problem. Therefore need of competent personals furnished with required food science and system based knowledge is must for the industries and more intervention of the local and international accreditation bodies is highly essential to ensure successful implementation of the system.