Food Product Development

Dr Alina Abdul Rahim

Food Product Development

Animal fat that we consume in food products such as burgers, sausages etc is high in cholesterol while palm oil fat, which can be used as its substitute has none. But the challenge of creating the correct formulations so that the product doesn't 'break' or the consumers cannot detect the difference had baffled researchers for many years. I successfully did it. As a Food Technologist nothing is better than having your formulation commercialized and seeing the products sold in hypermarkets. I am lucky to work with an enterprising couple, Encik Abang Omar and Puan Mazidah, the owner of Omar's Deli

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Since the year 2000 we conducted research on adding palm oil in food products. Previous attempts by other reseachers had failed. Over the years, I presented the research at seminars, local and abroad.(pic:me presenting to the representatives from the food industry)

With Omar Deli, we set up a kiosk in UKM (pic), conducted sensory tests and sold the product to the students in 2001. A booth was also set up at the F1 Sepang Circuit to test the market among foreigners. In each test, nobody had detected the absence of animal fat in the products.

Ingredient is poured into the bowl chopper

My research on this subject won an award at the Asia Food Conference in the Philipines in 2001 and this one, at the Graduate Research Competition in UPM in 2002 (pic:after the prize giving ceremony).

Omar's Deli factory

Raw batch of sausages

The product was sold at the Jusco and Giant Hypermarket as well as 1901 kiosk all over the country. As in May 2004 the company will also be supplying to the Hard Rock Cafe. (pic: me with the Cheras Jusco manager)

INOVASI RTM TV1, 25th April 2004. Prof Dr Salam and I talked about our success. Prof Dr Othman (left) was the host