UKM News Official Portal

By Abdul Ghani Nasir
Pix Shahiddan Saidi

BANGI, 17 Jan. 2012 – The Confectionery Technology Innovation Centre (MANIS), Faculty of Science and Technology (FST) of the National University of Malaysia (UKM) is to undertake research on halal food hydrocolloid in cooperation with Halgums (M) Sdn Bhd.

Products from the research including confectionaries, bread, noodles, ice creams and other food emulsion will also be commercialised by the company and MANIS.

A Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) was signed by FST and Halgums here today. Their co-operation will focus on consultancy, research and development of products followed by industrial training and seminars.

The MOA was signed by the Dean of FST, Prof Dr Sahrim Ahmad and the Executive Chairman of Halgums, Dato’ Mohamad Rafiaai Moktar here today. It was witnessed by Head of MANIS, Asso Prof Dr Nazaruddin Ramli and Managing Director of Halgums, Md Rosli Md Sharif.

Speaking at the ceremony, Dr Sahrim said MANIS plans to open a food kiosk at its new building to sell its products developed from its research.

MANIS which has recently acquired a new laboratory complete with a pilot plant and analysis equipment hopes to be a reference centre for the confectionery and food industries.

Halgums is one of the companies that has commercialised agricultural products like seaweed as well as food products which uses hydrocolloid as the main ingredient.

Hydrocolloid is a type of polymer which dissolves in water to form colloid and gel. It includes pectin, gelatin and jelly.

Dr Sahrim hopes cooperation between MANIS and Halgums can help improve the quality of its products using hydrocolloid mixture.

He is hopeful that their products will be granted intellectual property rights to enable them to be marketed internationally.

MANIS was set up on Jan. 1, 2011 to be the reference centre for research and development of confectionery products.

The network between industries and UKM is one of the Key Performance Index (KPI) set by the Ministry of Higher Education for the Research University.

Dato’ Rafiai later presented a cheque for RM37,400 to UKM for R&D after the signing. Haglums formed more than four years ago sells most of its products in Penang and the northern states.