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