DESIGN, FABRICATION AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF A TINAPA

(SMOKED FISH) THAWING MACHINE

An Undergraduate Thesis Title Proposal presented to the Faculty Members of the

Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Department
Pangasinan State University – Sta. Maria Campus
Sta. Maria Pangasinan

In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree

Bachelor of Science in Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering

CATHERINE ASUNZA ESTOLAS

2024

Chapter 1
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 INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Tinapa, or smoked fish, is a popular delicacy in the Philippines. It is a traditional method

that has been handed down through generations for preserving fish. Fish is smoked over an open

flame to make tinapa, which gives the fish a unique smoky flavor and aroma. It is often served

as a main meal in the Philippines, together with steamed rice and a side of vegetables.

The thawing of fish and fish products presents challenges for the food processing

industry. Thawing refers to the melting of frozen water in food products. In pure water, the

phase transition happens at a constant temperature and requires energy. The processes and

techniques employed during the thawing phases are essential to maintaining the food's quality.

Thawing has a significant effect on fish quality factors. Food quality loss during the thawing

process may be avoided by thawing food quickly and at a low temperature. (Okamoto et al.,

2002)

Therefore, this brings a challenge to traditional thawing processes, as using lower

temperatures lessens the primary driving force of the temperature difference between the frozen

sample and the ambient temperature for the purpose of thawing. Defrosting tinapa was done

manually by workers; however, this should be mechanized to reduce the time and labor burden

on workers.

Statement of the Problem

According to my research, to defrost smoked fish, workers rely on manual defrosting

with water and containers. Rapid defrosting could result in a loss of texture and flavor. Fish

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thaws unevenly, leaving certain parts frozen and others melted. With this machine, they may

produce or defrost more smoked fish in a shorter period and more efficiently than compared to

manual defrosting.

Significance of the Study

Compared to human practice, the machine can reduce the time needed to defrost smoked

fish. With moderate water and energy consumption; high defrosting speed allows increasing the

productivity and control quality of fish and fish products. Because it is designed for mass

production with less time, effort, and labor cost, it also helps local workers produce or defrost

more smoked fish, leading to higher production and earnings.

Objectives of the Study

This study generally aims to design, fabricate and evaluate the performance of a tinapa

(smoked fish) thawing machine.

Specially, it aims to:

1) Design and fabricate a thawing machine.

2) Evaluate the performance of the thawing machine in terms of:

(a) Capacity; and

(b) Efficiency

3) Determine the cost and return analysis of the machine.

DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF MORINGA

(Moringa oleifera) BUBBLE WASHER

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 An Undergraduate Thesis Title Proposal presented to the Faculty Members of the
Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Department
Pangasinan State University – Sta. Maria Campus
Sta. Maria Pangasinan

In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree

Bachelor of Science in Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering

CATHERINE ASUNZA ESTOLAS

2024
Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Moringa Oleifera is a very nutritious plant with various uses in different fields of

everyday life. It is used for food for humans and animals, to amend soil, purify water, and

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provide skincare. Moringa leaves are a high-quality source of protein, vitamins, and minerals.

The World Vegetable Centre (AVRDC) placed moringa leaves top among the 120 vegetable

species examined for their nutritional content, antioxidant activity, gustatory attributes, and the

facility in which they are grown and processed. Even though the plant naturally comes with

numerous beneficial properties, proper harvesting and postharvest handling are required to

maximize potential and produce moringa products of the highest quality and nutritional value.

M. Oleifera leaves go through various handling processes, including sorting, washing,

drying, converting raw materials into final products, and packing. Raw materials are washed to

remove contaminants that attach to them, such as soil and dust. In addition, pathogenic

microorganisms can become harmful pollutants if they reach the human body and cause

illnesses.

Washing is an important step for increasing the value of horticultural products on the

farm. Washers can be either continuous or batch-type. Batch type washers are ideal for small

operations when use is intermittent and operating costs are low. Soaking in still or flowing water

will be useful if dirt or other surface contaminants are present in small quantities and barely

adherent to the product. According to industrial-scale washing standards, the washing process

consists of three stages: the first stage utilizes water to remove contaminants, the second stage

uses a salt solution, and the third step involves rinsing. The quality of wash water has a

significant impact on raw material quality. The water used in the process of washing must be

clean and not contaminated beyond the maximum level.

Preventing contamination is the most efficient way to ensure food safety and avoid

foodborne disease. As a result, every effort should be taken to keep food safe against the

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principal causes of contamination. The mechanical moringa washer's primary benefits over the

manual washing method were improved moringa quality and reduced time and labor.

Statement of the Problem

The machine's performance must be improved, and it is recommended that it be provided

with two or more washing containers to increase washing quality. The drainage faucet has a

screw-type discharge for faster draining. Reduce the density per bundle when washing moringa

leaves to reduce losses due to midrib breaking.

Statement of the Problem

The machine’s performance must be improved, and it is recommended to used a better

roller and a seiver attached to the machine to produce a finer products. The use of high abrasive

roller would allow the roller clearance to be reduced producing finer products without wear.

Compared to the existing pulverizer, adding a seiver to the machine is recommended in order to

help the machine to totally give a finer result and lessen the time of manpower instead of

manually sieving the moringa leaves produced by the pulverizer.

Significance of the Study

This study might support small-medium manufacturers of pulverized moringa leaves in

pulverizing their goods faster than utilizing a traditional method of pulverizing dry leaves by

rubbing stone and grinding stone pounding, often known as the mortar and pestle procedure.

Moringa leaves are found all throughout the Philippines, but they are no longer noticed by many

people, despite their abundance. To address the issue of moringa leaf waste, the moringa

pulverizer with seiver was designed as an aid. This machine is beneficial to society in a variety

of ways, including minimizing post-harvest losses and converting ignored or scattered leaves
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into a valuable and usable product. Furthermore, by using this machine, consumers will save a

significant amount of time because they will no longer have to sieve manually.

This study might support small-medium manufacturers of pulverized moringa leaves in

pulverizing their goods faster than utilizing a traditional method of pulverizing dry leaves by
rubbing stone and grinding stone pounding, often known as the mortar and pestle procedure.
Moringa leaves are found all throughout the Philippines, but they are no longer noticed by many
people, despite their abundance. To address the issue of moringa leaf waste, the moringa
pulverizer with seiver was designed as an aid. This machine is beneficial to society in a variety
of ways, including minimizing post-harvest losses and converting ignored or scattered leaves
into a valuable and usable product. Furthermore, by using this machine, consumers will save a
significant amount of time because they will no longer have to sieve manually.

Significance of the Study

The efficient design of a fruit juice extractor may go a long way toward resolving the

issue of market wastage and out-of-stock of numerous fruits. Juice extractors had advantages

over other forms of food processing equipment due to their affordability and accessibility due to

lack of proper preservation methods. This machine is relevant to society in a number of ways, as

it would assist in reducing post-harvest losses.

Pulverizing of moringa dried leaves are done traditionally by rubbing stone

and grinding stone pounding or commonly known as mortar and pestle process. The

existing machines for moringa leaves has no seiver attached to it meaning

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Objectives of the Study

This study generally aims to design, construct and evaluate the performance of a

moringa leaves pulverizer with seiver. Specially, it aims to:

1) design and construct a pulverizer machine with a better roller and a seiver producing a

finer product without wear.

2) Evaluate the performance of the motorized pulverizer with seiver for dried moringa

leaves in terms of:

a. Pulverizing capacity;

b. Pulverizing capacity;

c. Pulverizing efficiency; and

d. Energy consumption

3) Determine the cost and return analysis of the machine

Objectives of the study

The main objectives of this study was to developed and evaluated the performance

of a motorized pulverizer for dried moringa leaves. Specifically it aimed to:

3. Construct a motorized pulverizer with seiver for dried moringa leaves.

4. Evaluate the performance of the motorized pulverizer with seiver for dried

moringa leaves in terms of:

a. Pulverizing capacity;
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 b. Pulverizing recovery;

c. Pulverizing efficiency; and

d. Energy consumption.

5. Determined the cost and return analysis of the machine.

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 DESIGN, FABRICATION AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF A
MULTI- ROOT CROP WASHER

An Undergraduate Thesis Title Proposal presented to the Faculty Members of the

Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Department
Pangasinan State University – Sta. Maria Campus
Sta. Maria Pangasinan

In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree

Bachelor of Science in Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering

1
0
 CATHERINE ASUNZA ESTOLAS
2024

Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Root crops such as sweet potatoes, gabi or taro must be pre-cleaned before being

transported from the field to the market. Small farmers now lack access to basic processing

equipment, such as vegetable washers. Vegetables are carefully cleaned to remove dirt particles

and soil-borne bacteria. Vegetables can be contaminated with Escherichia coli, thus, they should

be taken from water rather than poured or drained out, which leaves dirt in the container with

the vegetable (Charley, 1982).

Washing is one of the primary operations for increasing the value of horticultural

production on the farm. Washers can be either continuous or batch type. Batch type washers are

suited for small operations where use is intermittent and running expenses are minimal. Soaking

in still or flowing water is useful only if dirt or other surface impurities are present in small

quantities and loosely adhered to the product.

The goal of this study of a root crop washer was to test the efficiency of washing fresh

root crop vegetables. Farmers and agricultural workers hand wash these root crops, which takes

a long time. Manual cleaning is labor-intensive and time-consuming due to the sticky mud on

the surface of crops. A washer is a machine that is very useful for cleaning. It can also be used

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to wash other crops after they have been harvested, such as sweet potatoes, gabi or taro before

transporting them to the market.

Statement of the Problem

Manual washing involves a large volume of water moving at medium to high speeds

over the root crops. They are easily contaminated due to microbial action. Physical damage,

such as cracks, bruising, etc. They must not be kept in the soil for a lengthy period. It is

important to wash off the mud and dirt particles, which will lower the market's physical appeal

while helping with the next steps in processing. It is labor-intensive, time-consuming, and

inefficient.

Significance of the Study

A small-scale root crop washer can help farmers increase effectiveness while also

reducing the amount of physical labor required to clean their root crops after harvest. To

increase crop quality, wash root crops shortly after harvesting to avoid contamination from

drying soil. It is also perfect for farmers to create a small-scale root vegetable washer that

improves quality, saves time, and saves effort.

Objectives of the Study

This study generally aims to design, fabricate and evaluate the performance of a multi-

root crop washer.

Specially, it aims to:

1) Design and fabricate a machine.

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2) Evaluate the performance of machine in terms of:

(a) Capacity; and

(b) Efficiency.

3) Determine the cost and return analysis of the washer.

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3
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