Jang H. Kim, Ph. D.

Northern Marianas College

Cooperative Research, Extension, and Education Service

After harvested, the quality of produce is deteriorated in proportional to the storage period

Tropical produce are highly perishable and the shelf-life is comparatively short

Good post-harvest practice and strategy for maintaining the quality of local produce

OR….

Add more value by transforming fresh produce to processed food product

Utilize local produce to process jams, juices, pickles, wines, oils, chips and so

Provide good opportunities to access potential niche markets

Export the value-added product and contribute to local economy

Facility to provide opportunity for people to use various processing equipment to develop their own value-added product

Financed by pooled entrepreneur, loans and grants from private, and government sources

Users pay into a kitchen-operating fund in amounts much lower than their own operation cost

This subsidy reduces risk in starting businesses

As a business grows within a community kitchen, it may need to move out, either because of the limited facility capacity or management policy (Business Incubation)

Usually have operating boards and bylaw governing the operating procedures

The community must be willing to provide continuous support for the effort over the long term

The kitchen must be operated as a business rather than as a hobby

Food Safety must be the kitchen user’s top priority

There must be an ongoing commitment to worker and visitor safety

The management of the kitchen must have: - Business licenses, certificates, and other

permits - Insurance - Valid tuberculosis test - Occupancy certification The users or clients must have: - Business licenses - Insurance - Valid tuberculosis test

FDA guidelines on current Good Manufacturing Practice in manufacturing, packaging, or holding human food (http://www.access.gpo. gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_99/21cfr110_99.html )

Operation Handbook based on HACCP (http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodborne/haccp/index.shtml)

Utilization of local produce

- Sour sop

- Calamansi lemon

- Coconut

- Sweet potato Unique products to create niche markets for

drinking vinegar, sweet potato wine, . . .

Fruits and Vegetables a. Wet process - Juice, wine, jam, ice cream - and VINEGAR b. Dry process - Confectionary, chocolate - Dried fruits - Powder - Bakery (cookies and breads)

Vinegar??? Vinegar!!!

One of the most popular healthy drinks in Korea and Japan

Highly profitable Throw one stone kill 3 birds!

- Juice Wine Vinegar Wine is our target product, but… The equipment can be used for other value-added

products

Priority Equipment - Hot water bath for pasteurization or blanch - High pressure cooker or processor - Juice extraction machine (wet) - Filtration system (membrane) - Bottling machine (filler and capper) - Steam or heating kettle General Equipment - Refrigerator - Freezer - Washing sinks - Packaging machine

NMC-CREES Food Safety program will allot some portion of its HATCH fund for Rota Community Kitchen for 3 years (as a seed grant)

- 100K excluding personnel, R&D cost Basic equipment for vinegar processing

- Machine capacity and price range study needed Facility renovation not allowed

• Reinvest profits for community kitchen • Additional processes

• Contribute to local economy

• New Product Development• Value-added Process

• Technical Assistance• Processing equipment

• Food processing rules and regulation information