Assalamualaikum…
Sorry for the late news from Zara Foodstuff Industries Sdn Bhd. I had
been here about 7 weeks and placed at QA department with a student
industrial practical from UPM.
For information, Zara Foodstuff Industries Sdn Bhd was established
from 1987 at Larkin, Johor Bahru. Food products of this company had
name below Cap Kipas Udang brand. There are 4 products, namely Soya
sauce, chili sauce, tomato sauce and Sri Kaya (coconut bread spread).
In this company, giving jobs opportunities to 300-400 employees
included office, fermentation, processing, and production.
In QA department, there are QA Manager and three QA officer. One of
the QA officer, En Azizol bin Salim that also our senior as my
supervisor as long I’ve been here. The QA officers helped and give me
guideline during in period of practical.
The training modules developed by QA department:
1. Introduction to QA department, quality control plan and process approaches
2. On job training
i. Soya Sauce
ii. Tomato/ Chili Sauce and Sri Kaya
iii. Production
iv. Fermentation
With the training modules, it helped me to understand scope, duties,
and person in charge in the company regarding the overall processing,
incoming material and end product.
The Zara Foodstuff’s products not only market in our country, it also
export to other countries like Singapore, Brunei, United Kingdom and
Australia. For each country, there are different codes for each
product. So at the 1st week, I had to remember codes for each
product.
For soya sauce, chili sauce, tomato sauce and Sri Kaya product, I had
learned each process activity based on the process flow and quality
control plan. There are daily in process quality control activity that
has to do for soya sauce, chili sauce and tomato sauce.
In fermentation area, I had learned from soy bean until it formed as
‘Koji’. ‘Koji’ fermented in fiberglass about 2- 3 month. I got chance
to look the ‘Koji’ by climb with stair because the height of
fiberglass about 2 feet. Leader of fermentation, Encik Rizal
explained about process of ferment soy bean from 1st method until get
the ‘ Moromi’. Workers at this fermentation area also help me to
understand about the process of fermentation. Inoculum needed to
ferment the soy bean usually made by QA officer, Encik Azizol. He
explain how to make the inoculum and I had did the starter with my
practical mate. In processing making the inoculum, precaution step
applied due to handling with Aspergillus oryzae that may will give
infection to human and the inoculum may not in good condition. Some of
equipment that used is autoclave and laminar flow. Even made the
inoculum takes time, but I really excited because it’s an important
ingredient in fermentation.
Processing area divided into three parts, soya sauce, chili/tomato
sauce and Sri Kaya. Biggest part of processing area is processing main
product that is soya sauce. For each step of processing, I had chance
to look the workers did the soya sauce. For each step, the sample will
analyse by QAO, but now the sample check by my practical and I to make
sure the soy sauce follow specification that fixed by QA department.
For soya sauce:
Refractometer : Brixᵒ
pH meter : pH and temperature
Baume hydrometer: Specific gravity
Salinometer : Salinity
For 1st week, it difficult to me to differentiate sweet soya sauce and
salty soya sauce by not tasted the soya sauce. But, now I already know
to differentiate both of them and familiar with the taste soya sauce
I had learned making the chili and tomato sauce by leader of chili
sauce and tomato sauce, Encik Salleh. There are two types of grinder
that used to grind the ingredients used. Sample of chili and tomato
sauces also have to check before and after cooking process. I also had
to taste the sample for every batch of sauce. So, I can know either
the sauce acceptable with the specification. For chili sauce and
tomato sauce:
Refractometer : Brixᵒ
Consistometer : Consistencsy
Viscometer : Viscosity
pH meter : pH
Sri Kaya ( Cocunut bread spread) used steam-jacketed barrel to cook.
The product also has to check after cooking process like sauce. For
Sri Kaya:
Refractometer : Brixᵒ
Taste, texture and colour.
InsyaAllah, next update, I will share to you all about production,
others experience and project that given by my supervisor.
