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SciTech www.src-jamaica.org

From Whence We Came The Scientific Research Council (SRC) which was established in 1980 is one of Jamaica’s chief public sector agencies responsible for the fostering of scientific research and the promotion and application of its results.

Most of the Council’s projects and activities support the growth and development of the local agro-industrial sector.

The projects undertaken by the SRC have positive implication on the economic and social development of Jamaica. These projects are developed by various units of the SRC within the framework of the National Industrial Policy and the National Policy on Science and Technology. SRC currently has a Product Research Development Division whose functions incorporate extraction technologies and the

development of valueadded products; a Process Development Division that performs process engineering and quality management functions; an Information Services Division; Human Resource and Administration; and the Finance and M a n a g e m e n t Information System that provides support services for the Council.

SRC’s Research Scientist, Cheryl Green, examines oil extract in laboratory.

Through its marketing arm, Marketech Ltd. which is a subsidiary of the Council- SRC offers a number of goods and services that are very relevant to the needs of our society.

Marketech

Ltd.

was established in 1996 out of an objective to bridge the gap between

the marketplace and the resource base. It performs the Council's business development, technology transfer, marketing and sales and communications functions.

Other Integral components of Marketech’s services include exploring the realms of science and technology and tracking market trends to facilitate development of new products and pro c ess es, m ar ket research and development, contract negotiation and administration and the protection of intellectual property. It also offers consultancy marketing services.

Our Achievements SRC has made tremendous achievement in numerous areas over the years. Just to name a few: the Council has developed and commercialized solar salt technology; developed a suite of

Scientific Research Council Quarterly Newsletter Volume: 1-08 Date: August 12, 2008

In this issue: SRC helps SME’s

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SRC receives prestigious certification

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SRC Technology Reducing Cost of Living

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award-winning sorrel products which stimulated demand for agricultural produce; the food industry benefited from heat penetration process for the low acid canned foods, which allowed for export in foods such as callaloo, red peas and ackee; developed drying techniques to eliminate the need for refrigeration and i s o l a t e d insecticides/pesticides from local plants for commercial use. SRC is now actively involved in a number of research activities inclusive of cancer research and a number of ongoing investigations in the area of nutraceuticals.

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www.src-jamaica.org

Scientific Research Council Quarterly newsletter Volume1-08

SRC Helps SME’s

Suite of award-winning sorrel products developed

by SRC

As a result of the increasingly globalized marketplace, products and services must be in conformity with required international standards to ensure effective competition in world trade.

The Scientific

Research Council upon perceiving this SRC continues to dilemma has adapted help many the role of helping Jamaicans SME’s to adhere to improve the quality standard regulations in of their lives and the manufacturing syspositively impacts tem. The Bureau of Standards in Jamaica national has a set of standards development. developed for Good

SRC invites you to its

22nd Annual Science & Technology Conference & Exposition November 18 18--20, 2008 At the Pegasus Hotel Knutsford Boulevard Kingston, Jamaica Theme: “Science and Technology Driving Industry & Commerce”

Manufacturing Practices which the SRC uses as a guideline in their programmes. The focus of the programmes is to assist SME’s in becoming efficient and HACCP com pl i ant . HAC C P [Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point] which is an international standard for food safety was implemented by the Food and Drug Administration [FDA] because of increasing concerns about chemical and bacterial contamination of food.

management component where clients learn how to operate as a business.

Besides conducting workshops the Council also offers technical advice on storage facilities, the right method for processing, the appropriate preservative for various types of food products, factory layout [placement of various equipment to keep in line with factory act, as provided by Bureau of Standards]; type of equipment to purchase and suppliers of this With the purpose of enequipment. couraging SME’s to exerReal Jamaican cise safe and effective Mannish Water developed and manufacturing practices, canned by SRC the SRC has over the years, developed a number of schemes geared Through diverse activitowards improving prod- ties the SRC continues to ucts and services of small help many Jamaicans to improve the quality of and medium entities. their lives and positively Many have benefited impacts national developfrom these schemes ment. The available serwhich include workshops vices have assisted cliand training courses on ents thus far in supervisvarious areas such as ing and sustaining quality meat processing, canning, products, satisfying their natural juice processing, customers’ need, meeting jam and jellies processing international quality standards, reducing spoilage and HACCP awareness.

Training is also offered in and subsequently detissue culture technology creasing production and in the business costs.

Scientific Research Council Quarterly newsletter

SciTech

Volume1-08

www.src-jamaica.org

SRC Receives Prestigious Certification SRC has now attained the Prestigious ISO Certification 9001:2000 of its management systems.

The SRC was certified

by ISOQAR Inc. an international accredition body. The scope of the certification encompasses “the provision of scientific and technological solutions through consultancy services, technical advice, training and technology transfer for natural resource de-

velopment, tissue culture,

Having acquired decades of experience in the farming industry and environmental protec-

Guiding the young

food and wastewater”.

SRC views this certification as a milestone which further demonstrates the SRC’s relentless commitment to excellence in delivery of its services.

Mrs. Marcia Henry, manager, projects and quality management systems, SRC (left) and Dr. Audia Barnett, executive director, SRC (centre) accepts ISO 9001:2000 Certification from Mr. John Hopkins, external auditor , ISOQAR Inc.

Periodic checks by ISOQAR Inc. will ensure that consistency in procedures is maintained and will encourage continuous improvement in efficiency and communication.

SRC’s Technology Reducing Cost of Living The Scientific Research Council (SRC) an agency with a track record in supporting the local agro-processing industry and its subsidiary Marketech Ltd. recently conducted a public forum on wastewater treatm ent s ys tem s.

Highlighted at this forum were the many benefits that can be gained from implementation of these systems with particular emphasis on their relevance to the farming community.

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tion, the Scientific Research Council understands the need to sensitize farmers to the many

A completed Biodigester System advantages of implementing a good wastewater treatment system.

This forum was both timely and relevant given spiraling energy costs and inflation. The ever increasing cost of energy, fertilizers and food have just about frustrated everyone, the world over and have rendered

many helpless.

The Scientific Research Council in its own way is making its contribution to the alleviation of some of this expenditure by encouraging hoteliers, agroprocessors, farmers and manufacturers to make use of its various wastewater treatment systems.

Individuals who implement effective wastewater treatment systems will find themselves saving in more ways than one. This is so since the systems are simple in construction, require no electricity

Process Engineer at SRC, Sanchia Miller, explains the process of Tissue Culture Technology to students of Jamaica College on a recent tour of the Council.

in the biological process, can be scaled up or down according to the size of the household or organization and produces fertilizer and biogas as bi-products thereby reducing the cost of sewage removal, cooking gas and manure.

SRC currently propagates a number of anaerobic wastewater treatm ent s ys tem s.

These are the UASB Reactor, Biodigester Septic Tank (BST), Biodigester System and the Biolatrine. All systems vary in use, size and price.

The size, price and type of system are determined by a feasibility Cont’d on page 4

Scientific Research Council Quarterly Newsletter Volume: 1-08 LET SRC Help YOU WITH: 

New product development -food & beverage

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Personal care products

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Meat processing and curing

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Herbs & Spices

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Analytical tests– food & water

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Selection & use of appropriate packaging

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Nutritional labeling

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Shelf life studies

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Good Manufacturing Practices

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HACCP– International Food Safety guide

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Factory layout and equipment guide

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Tissue Culture Technology– production of disease-free plantlets

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Designing & implementing environmentally friendly wastewater treatment systems

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Market Research

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Information on energy and science

Contact us at: P.O. Box 350, Kingston 6, Jamaica, W.I. Tel: (876) 927-1771-4 or 977-2192 Fax: 977-6000 marketech@src-jamaica.org Website: www.src-jamaica.org

Cont’d from pg 3

Process Developas these systems are study conducted by ment Division easy to install and SRC’s technical team. of the SRC, require little or no Ms. Julia Brown. maintenance. She appropriately One of the many She sees the anaerobic/ achievements of the describes the sys- biogas technology SRC includes a patent tems as ones that on the BST which is an you “set and forget” as appropriate to Jamaica. on-site sanitation unit that provides for the disposal of toilet (black) wastewater as well as of kitchen and bathroom (grey) water.

The systems come highly recommended by the manager of the

SRC’s UASB reactor for food processing wastewater

“Making Science and Technology Work for You”