An assessment on the possibility of process modification for crumb products, from manual packing to a semi-automated packing mechanism
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2015
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka
Abstract
Production management is an area of management concerned with overseeing, designing and
redesigning business operations in the production of goods and services. Automation of a
packing line will increase the productivity and will reduce contamination. Modern warehouses
are called distribution centres, to emphasize that they only profit by moving goods. To a
distribution centre, storage represents unproductive assets. In present era, fast food consumers
are looking for readymade products and increased interest is shown in partial replacement of
meat system with extenders/binders/fillers (Sohila, 2008). In recent times there has been a
remarkable increase in demand for ready to eat meat products (Duxbury, 1989). Therefore food
industry is now forced to develop a variety of convenience products with improved quality and
lower cost to meet increasing demand for meat based food products (Thomas et al., 2007). The
study evaluated the current packing mechanism with new, planned semi-automated mechanism
relevant to the aspects such as overall labour effectiveness, warehouse utilization and etc. After
analyzing the current and future scenarios, the study focused on the suggesting a vacuum
packing operation for crumb products.
Methodology
The packing volume and the consumed labour hours were observed and noted in the data
collection sheet as to evaluate the productivity difference between labour and machine. Then the
chicken drumstick samples were subjected to a transport trial and the number of non- conformance
units of chicken drumstick occurred in the transport trial was observed and noted regarding the
current pack arrangement and new pack arrangement. Then two different arrangement methods
were compared by using two sample T test to see whether there is a significant difference in
defects/non conformances occurred during transportation (ISTA Guidelines). Also the number of
non-conformance units of chicken drumstick occurred in the transport trial was observed regarding
the new pack arrangement relevant to 310 gsm and 350 gsm pack densities. Then two different
gsm packs were compared by using two sample T test to find out whether there is a significant
difference in defects/non conformances occurred during transportation (ISTA Guidelines). The
sample (10 g) was taken in to a 100 ml beaker and 25 ml of distilled water was added and mixed
well. Then the pH measure was taken. About 5 g of the sample was weighed in to a moisture dish
which was previously dried in an oven maintained at 105˚c and weighed. Once in every week
TPC, E.coli count, Streptococci spp. count and fungus count were tested for each vacuum packed
and non- vacuum packed samples. The sensory qualities of vacuum packed and non vacuum
packed crumbed products (Chicken drumstick) were evaluated by a panel of ten panelists who
were trained to familiarize with the sensorial attributes of fried chicken drumsticks using
differentiating and descriptive tests.
Result and Discussion
According to One sample T test results, Labour packing productivity was significantly different
(P<0.05) from the given machine packing productivity and unionized labour packing
productivity was significantly different (P<0.05) from the non-unionized labour packing
productivity. Also the “c” of cobb-dougles function was less than 1 and it reveals that non-
unionized labour is more productive. According to the Two sample T test result, defects
occurred in current packing arrangement was significantly different (P<0.05) from the defects
percentage that occurred in new packing arrangement for 1kg and 300 g packs and defects
occurred in 350gsm packs was not significantly different (P<0.05) from the defects percentage
that occurred in 310gsm packs which are arranged in new packing arrangement for 1kg and
300g packs. Space saved by the new arrangement, for 1kg pack was 0.84 x 10
m and for 300g
m . In the Two sample T test, vacuum packed chicken drumsticks and
normal packed chicken drumsticks had a significant difference (P<0.05) in moisture levels
measured in the consecutive storing weeks. Vacuum packed chicken drumstics have a less
variation pattern compared to the normal packed chicken drumstics in moisture percentage. But
there was no significant difference in pH variation (P>0.05) between the two samples. Salmonella,
E.coli, Staphylococci. Spp., Yeast and mold were not observed during the 8 weeks of storing
period (-18 ˚C) in both the vacuum packed and normal packed chicken drumstick samples. But
the Total plate count increased with the storing period (-18 ˚C) according to the packing method.
According to the Kruskal-Wallis test results colour, texture, taste and overall acceptability were
significantly different in the vacuum packed (sample 622) and non vacuum packed (sample 351)
chicken drumsticks. But odour was not significantly different between the two samples. Also the
panelists more preferred the vacuum packed sample.
Description
Keywords
Science and Technology, Technology, Business Management, Automation, Marketing