I knew it!
When things go too smoothly,
something like this is bound to happen.
Hi everyone, I'm Xenia.
Welcome back to another episode of hired or fired.
In this episode, I'm going to be
a food technologist for a day.
I've actually never heard of this occupation before,
but anything to do with food I'm very confident, okay?
Firstly, I read a lot of food labels.
Secondly, I took food and nutrition,
during O' levels.
If I were to make a wild guess,
I think they are the ones responsible for
adding elements that does not exist naturally in food.
And using tech to make
food safer, for example:
Calcium and vitamins in your fruit juice,
Omega 3 eggs and pasteurized milk.
Ahh, I'm actually really nervous about this episode
because whenever there's something to do with tech, I feel so dumb!
Let's hope I brought my brain out today.
Let's find out!
Food technologists in a large company would
be responsible for developing,
formulating, interesting healthy food.
And nowadays people even talk about food, needing it
to be health-giving. You eat food that makes you healthy.
So that's why food technologists make all this happen.
Hi! I'm Xenia.
Hi Xenia, I'm Florence,
co-founder of Kosmode Health.
So Kosmode health is a
spin out of the food science technology department of NUS.
So what will I be doing today?
So the first is, you're going to make
a functional noodle.
Second is the easy part, you're going to cook the noodle.
After giving the easy peasy parts a go,
-the third part will be more challenging. -Okay.
It involves 3D bio printing of bioscaffolds.
I feel like I only understand
"bio", in the whole sentence .
The rest I don't know what you're talking about.
-Don't worry, you will find out more. -Okay.
So I will introduce you to our very
able food tech trainee, Rae.
-Hi Rae! -Hi Xenia!
Rae just joined us under the
SG United Traineeships programme.
So shall we get started?
-Yeah, here's your very own lab coat for the day. -Okay.
Let's go!
So the main base ingredient
for our functional noodles, would be this
protein fiber powder, that's extracted from food waste.
Food waste?!
So like, leftovers?
Uh, not exactly.
Food waste in this context means like,
homogeneous waste that we obtain from brewing of beer.
Huh?! Oh my god, wait, I'm so confused.
Why people don't wanna finish their beer?
So typically in most beer brewing processes,
barley is actually the main ingredient.
After some processing,
the starch and sugars will be extracted,
for the manufacture of beer.
And what is left would be spent barley grains,
that are high in protein and fiber content.
So Kosmode Health found a way to upvalue this waste material
for human nutrition by extracting the protein and
fiber from this spare barley grains,
and then we will condense it into a powder form.
And this powder can be made to formulate functional products like our noodles.
I don't know what to say, I'm so shocked.
One [in mandarin]: small small barley grain can split into beer and
noodles.
Okay Xenia, so now we're all ready with our gloves on.
And we will start making this noodles now.
So first we will weigh the dry premix first.
You're paying attention right?
-Yes. -Okay.
She was like, "you're paying attention right?"
"I cannot give you hint later." You know why?
James, my director, he tekan me.
Okay, full attention.
Also a small tip: Weigh the ingredients
-a bit separately.
-Ohh. -Yeah, such that they don't really touch each other.
And on the same line of reason, it will be easier
for you to rectify any mistakes you make while weighing.
-Oh, so you can take it out. -Mm, yeah, exactly that.
Wah, this one is really
very different from cooking at home and experimenting, you know.
Home one is the law of agar-ration. (Estimation).
This one has to be super accurate.
Okay Xenia, you've seen me do it once,
and now it's your turn.
My gloves are off, so you'll be doing this on your own okay?
Sure, no problem.
James, you sure you wanna film this?
I'm gonna get everything right.
I'm gonna get everything right [slowed down].
I'm gonna get everything right [slowed down further].
Oh my god, Xenia don't even know how to close a container?!
Why is the texture a bit weird?
The texture damn rough,
[inaudible]
You see, now it's like a UFO, the whole thing
stuck inside the blender eh.
Okay, let me try...
I don't know...
Her texture not like this eh...
Oh, my...
Did I forget something?
I knew it!
When things go too smoothly,
something like this is bound to happen.
You see lah, over confident.
Now yours look like shit. [laughter]
Okay, so ninety minutes is up,
and the moment of truth comes when we try to extrude this
noodles. Are you ready?
I should ask you if you're ready, this is yours.
Okay, I'll go first.
Ah! My god!
-Oh, the sound though. -Yeah, so this is how it goes, then towards
the end, just use a chopstick to scrape it open.
And then very quickly, use your chopsticks to loosen the noodles.
So that they won't stick to each other.
Wah, it really looks like noodles eh.
Yeah!
Are you excited for yours?
Yes!
I hope mine will come out like that too.
Wow, good job!
It actually looks quite good.
Whooo! It's noodles eh!
I think you did really well for your first time.
Yes! Thank you!
Good job Xenia, on making your very own noodles,
and for our next task,
you will be tasked to cook a dish using this noodles.
You will be judged on creativity and
taste, and also plating of the dish.
Okay.
So I already have my own ingredients,
and I'll be making my own dish.
So maybe you can give thought to what you want to make.
-Then I go out and buy. -Mm.
Why you never jio (invite) me just now when you went to buy?
It's a competition what.
Oh, oh!
Start already, wah, Rae start already, okay lah! [laughter]
Let's go!
Okay, from now on, draw this line.
So welcome to your second task Xenia.
Now we'll have a mini cook-off with the noodles we just made,
-in the first task. -Yes.
So what are you cooking?
You wanna introduce your dish a bit?
No <3
Oh.
Okay lorh.
[laughter] Okay lorh, let's start lorh!
3, 2, 1, go!
can tell, her presentation damn nice.
So this is the end of our cooking challenge.
Looks not bad.
Yours also not bad.
Okay, now I'll invite our judge in, to
come and taste our dishes, and she'll decide who did better.
Yay! I've been waiting for this for so long.
Actually, she quite smart.
She use "Bibimbap" style.
So what's your dish called?
-Wait, I need to concentrate. -Okay, go.
Okay, now let's try that.
I think the prawn got shell.
Sorry!
Rating-wise, Rae wins.
Taste wise...
Xenia wins.
So it's a draw.
-No still got ah, one more. -Creativity.
This one very difficult eh, creativity.
Both from google right?
What kind of creativity is that?
What's google? I don't know what google is.
Okay Xenia, so for your last task,
you'll be participating in some 3D bio scaffolding printing activities.
So as a food tech trainee here at Kosmode Health,
I get to interact with others in different job roles,
And understand more of what the company does as a whole.
I'll introduce you to my colleague Heng Li,
who oversees the 3D bio scaffold printing activites
here at Kosmode Health.
-Hi! -Hey Xenia,
welcome to our newly established 3D bio printing facility.
Does this place look new to you?
To be honest, I've never been to any other labs.
So this one really looks new.
I don't know, there are a lot of machines I don't know. Like this one.
That's actually a bio scaffold.
Ohh, what is a scaffold?
Oh, so a scaffold is actually for cells to grow on.
It's a home, a support.
For the scaffolds to attach.
-You want to know more? -Yes!
Okay, let's go.
Okay Xenia, this will be the first part
of your task.
You will need to set up a
3D Bio ink Syringe.
So that will be put into the 3D bio printer later.
So here we have the bio ink syringes
all ready, so I actually pre-prepared this.
So we have 4, do you know why?
No.
Oh, in case you screw up.
Eh, just now I did so well, you know!
I won't, I won't!
So after we're done printing the 3D scaffolds,
we will need to pack them for our customers.
So they grow cells at home?
No, our customers are researchers.
-Ohh. -We pack it for our researchers and pass it over to them.
And they test the scaffolds out, and use them for us.
Okay, why do we need to grow cells?
Oh, for researchers,
who are interested in drug screening, how to improve
lifestyle, and trying to find out
cures for cancer.
These scaffolds are able to help them.
-In their research. -Yes, that's right.
So what has it got to do with food?
3D bio scaffolds actually use zein
-Mm. -So zein helps in
cytoaffinity and helps the cell attach more
than just with normal polymer, because
Zein also has amino accids inside.
-Mm. -So the amino acids actually help the cells bind
more, than just with normal synthetic polymers.
Ohh, so you don't use the cells to create more food, but
instead you use food stuff, to help with research.
Yes. That's how the two areas are linked.
I dare say I'm finally on the same page as you.
You may continue.
Wow, this episode is
truly out of my comfort zone,
and my impression of a food technologist
is completely wrong!
For the first two tasks,
I would say it's relatively easy to understand
as a consumer.
So as a food technologist, you don't just
upgrade the nutritional value in food.
You create new healthy food from scratch.
With sustainability in mind.
And I really had a lot of fun
making the functional noodles with Rae today and
having a mini cook off, and I
could relate to it so much because my dad has diabetes,
and I always feel really bad when we eat out because
he has to control so much.
I really hope that the functional noodles we made today can
get out there in supermarkets and restaurants so that
people with dietary restrictions can also enjoy and indulge without
any worries in mind.
The last task though,
I felt like I walked into the wrong lecture hall.
It was very technical and
difficult to keep up, and even spending hours
with Heng Li in the lab, I still don't understand how it
works. But, the satisfaction that you get
from being a part of such a noble act is
very rewarding.
You know, as a kid,
Everybody wants to save the world. As you grow older, you realise that
It's not possible. But today for the first time,
meeting people like Heng Li, who is extremely dedicated to this course,
It makes me feel like there are people saving the world
and I feel comforted.
So if you ask me what a food technologist is, I would say they are
the heroes we never knew, because they solved all the problems
relating to food.
So hi, Xenia, you have done your three tasks.
-Yes. -You should be very tired by now.
No, I'm okay.
Ooh, that's good.
Honestly, when I was told you will be the food-type
thing for a day, then I was told that
your background is art,
I was saying, wah this is going to be a disaster.
Oh noo!
You managed to surprise me!
-Really?! -Well done, man.
I thought that you were able to learn very fast.
I also very impressed with your energy level.
Because in a start up doing a lot of experiments, you need
the energy level to drive you.
I also felt that you have the courage to try.
-Okay. -Especially over that side,
it's quite scary right.
Very technical, yeah.
I thought you did very well for an arts' grad.
So I think you set the example.
-Wah, thank you! -That it is okay, you know, you can always
transcend your training, as long as you're willing to learn.
So, it boils down to the most important question for every single episode.
And that is...
You will write your answer here. Don't tell me ah!
You will put hired or fired.
And you have to be honest.
Okay? So I will write
-Back-to back. -Yeah.
Would you hire or fire me?
3, 2. 1!
Hired if...
Why? If what?
background, remember what I said earlier?
The basic requirement is you need to have a science background.
Your energy level, definitely.
Skill, attitude, everything else pass.
tick, tick, tick, tick, tick.
I see, okay.
So I think that's also the reason I put
Uh, fi-hired?
Because I didn't know,
I felt like I would definitely be fired if this was
an occupation.
But now there are traineeships, attachments, where you can learn.
You can learn at a comfortable pace.
I thought there might be some chance.
And I was right lah. 50-50.
Becoming a food technologist is actually one of
the many roles under the SG united traineeships
and mid-career pathways programmes.
If you are a graduate, or looking to join a new industry,
check out the portal in our description box below,
to find out how you can gain useful work experience through
traineeships, and attachements.
To enhance your career prospects.
Thank you for watching another episode of hired or fired,
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And I'll see you next time. Bye!
Coming back... bye!