1.1 Introduction
Potato chips currently represent one of the world’s most popular snack foods. From its accidental birth in 1853, the potato chips market has evolved with time and currently represents a multi-billion dollar market. Owing to their easy affordability and cheaper price even for the premium products, potato chips are popular among all age groups. Currently, the growing young population (below 15 years) represents a key segment for the potato chips market. Major factors driving the global demand of potato chips are growing urbanization, rise in disposable incomes and rapidly changing lifestyles. Chips are the most popular variety of snacks on various occasions.
Potato chips are popular processed food items resulting in substantial value-addition. They are used as snack food both in domestic as well as in fast food centers and restaurants as side dish and garnishes. So there is need of alternative which produces chips quick, hygienic with less labor intensive. There exists a very large market for chips and they can be sold at various retail outlets, paan shops, bus-stands, railway stations, roadside eateries, etc. There also exists institutional market consisting of clubs and other institutions, school & college canteens, army establishments, bars & pubs, railway and airlines caterers, etc. Competition from organized sector is increasing but local and small units have distinct advantages in terms of less overheads and transportation costs, longer shelf life, quick access to market and cost.
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.
1.2 Statement of Problem
Investigation revealed the problem of the existing Potato Fries Maker Machine system, which entails that, food production domain one of the key task is to maintain the high production rate and hygienity. Considering the production of potato chips, it is time consuming task and also labor intensive if conventional method of producing chips is followed i.e. using separate machinery for each individual task. As more time is consumed while processing chips from one machine to another, we have concentrated into this factor. In order to reduce time consumption and labor intensity, we as a team came up with an idea of a product with integrated, effective and hygienic way of production of chips. Effort is made to come with better design in addressing the above problem.
1.3 Aim and Objectives of the Study
The aim of the study is to Design and Fabricate a Dual Side Potato Fries Maker Machine. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To improve the existing manual and electrical operated Potato Fries Maker Machine.
- To design a portable Dual Side Potato Fries Maker Machine for Potato that uses two sources of power,
- To fabricate and test run the designed Dual Side Potato Fries Maker Machine
1.4 Significance of Study
This study will be of immense benefit to caterer and other researchers who intend to know more on this study and can also be used by non-researchers to build more on their research work. This study contributes to knowledge and could serve as a guide for other study.
1.5 Scope of Study
The study focuses on the Design and Fabrication of Dual Side Potato Fries Maker Machine.
1.6 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
- Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet).
1.7 Definition of Terms
Potato: Is a starchy tuber of the plant Solanum tuberosum
Machine: It’s an apparatus using mechanical power and having several parts, each with a definite function and together performing a particular task
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