CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Background of the study

Uni-Decorticator Slicer was the name of the designed product of this

study. Uni was derived from “universal” which means covering all distributive

without limit or for an instance a thing having universal effect, currency, or

application while decorticator was named after its synonym “peeler” which means

a tool for removing the skin from a fruit and vegetables. Slicing and peeling are

different task that uses separate tools, it is less convenient and time consuming

that leads to the birth of the new designed product – Uni-Decorticator Slicer:

Kitchen tool for fruits and veggies.

Traditionally, slicing and peeling comes from different ways, but uses the

same tools which is the knife. It is very harmful that it may cut your skin whether

it is dull or sharp. One of the factor that discourage the use of knife in peeling and

slicing are – product of cut fruits and vegetables uses knife are uneven, same

goes in peeling, more likely when beginners are using it. Every year, about

thousands of people end up in emergency rooms with injuries they receive by

using kitchen knives (Rochester Medical Center, 2019). According to Damewood

(2019) aesthetically speaking, carbon steel gets the lowest marks. It has no stain
color resistance and discolors immediately upon contact with acidic foods such

as tomatoes, citrus fruits, wine or vinegar. Over time, the blade will turn totally

back, although the discoloration does not adversely affect the knife’s cutting

ability carbon steel is also susceptible to rust and requires regular scouring with

stainless steel pads to keep it clean and shiny.

Nowadays, we need to find better ways to improve the task in the kitchen,

in that we come up with the innovation of slicer, peeler, grater, coconut grater

and knife in one tool. It is more convenient, time bound and hassle free tool.

There are times when we think we have to cook faster. All things considered,

cooking is not that simple. How might we guarantee that we can cut vegetables

faster? Cooking requires some serious energy, and on the off chance that we are

a veggie fan, we may need a hand slicer to help us. The cutting vegetable is a

tedious errand, and we need an apparatus that can make the whole technique

faster. At the point when housewives gripe about taking hours in the kitchen to

set up an extraordinary feast, it all boils down to how much time it takes to cut the

vegetables in the first place. With the help of slicer, our work time can be

lessened to half. Once the vegetables are cut or slashed, our opportunity to set

up a dish automatically decreases (Choi, T., 2016). On the other hand, a

vegetable peeler in one of the most ingenious tools for the kitchen. It allow us to

peel the skin of fruits and vegetables perfectly, and thus retain more nutrients. A

good peeler is such a practical and convenient tool that it should be included in

the list of must-have kitchen tools. A vegetable peeler enabled you to handle and
peel potatoes, carrots, beetroot, aborigine, apples, kiwis and other fruits and

vegetables easily and quickly, and reduce the risk of cutting your hands. The

peeled skin is always very thin and even comes off in layers, reducing waste and

allowing for more efficient use of products. A peeler can be used not only for

peeling skin, but also for cutting when you need to get straight, thin slices (SIA

Tokyo Cutlery, 2017)

Objectives of the Study

This study generally aimed to design and construct a Universal tool for

peeling and slicing called Uni-Decorticator Slicer with the following objectives:

1. To determine the essential components of combined slicer and peeler.

2. To determine the functions, limitations and capacity of its components.

3. To provide a more convenient means of peeling and slicing at the same

tool.

4. To describe the tools in terms of functionality, aesthetics, cost,

effectiveness and design.

5. To determine the function and limitation of Uni-Decorticator Slicer

Significance of the study

 The study on the Uni-Decorticator Slicer: Kitchen tool for fruits and

veggies is a great help to the people who love cooking and cooks for passion

or career. No matter what level you’re at when it comes to cooking, every

kitchen needs a vegetable peeler from skinning carrots to potatoes. On the

other hand, the best part about vegetable slicer is the manner by which

uniform our vegetable cuts or pieces will be. Whether we need thin or thick

cuts, wedges, pieces or grated, vegetable slicers can accompany various cuts

of veggies and fruits. Moreover, this new designed product is time saving,

uniform cuts, and no knife problems.

Scope and Delimitation of the study

The Uni-Decorticator Slicer: Kitchen tool for fruits and veggies which is a

great help to save time, have a good quality and equal cuts. All information

regarding its pattern, design, usage and/or operation were gathered from

websites, researches, and some article. The tool is designed to easy peel and

cut the fruits and vegetables evenly. This tool is intended for a convenient

peeling and slicing fruits and vegetable that can be used by any people who tend

to cook or in the cooking industry. The materials are locally available and

affordable. The study focuses on the designing, innovating, usage and its

importance. This study was conducted at Davao Oriental State College of

Science and Technology (DOSCST). The respondents were randomly selected

from different cooking establishment and household.