Application for PMSSMP Student Board 2009/2010

It's the time of the year again!
Make a change to yourself by joining PMSSMP Student Board!

Okay, for those who doesn't know what i'm talking about, PMSSMP has its Annual General Meeting in October every year, and this year round, it'll be on the 10th of October (Saturday) at UMS Library Auditorium Room, from 9am to 12pm.

And as what every annual general meeting does, the current student board members are going to step down from where we are now, and pass the duty to the next batch of potential leaders. We are going to hold a "General Election" during the meeting, thus we need applicants
**just like how the country works, right?**

For those who are interested to join the board, these are the procedures to follow:

1. Please obtian your application form from the SSMP administration office. Application forms will be available from 30th Sept 2009 to 5th Oct 2009.

2. Please fill in the forms, and return the application form by putting the form into the respective box provided at the office (it'll be just beside the stack of application forms). All applications should be done and sent no later by 5th Oct 2009, 5pm.
**No, we do not except any application fees from anyone.**

3. All applicants will be informed for an interview session which will start from 8th Oct 2009.

4. Shortlisted candidates will undergo an election for the posts of board members during the Annual General Meeting on the 10th Oct 2009, 9am.


Last but not least, we hope that everyone will try their best to attend the meeting, as this is a meeting that concerns yourself as a student of the school. By joining the Annual General Meeting, you will be able to help make a difference to the future of our Student Board, which also means make a difference to your student life. To the good side, of course. =P

The chance is yours, grab it before it runs away!

Students Exchange Programme: Indonesia-Malaysia

Hi all! Finally i'm updating the blog with another interesting event that happened in SSMP! We had mushroom farm trips, we had UKM UPM visits, even our Family Day was a big success, what else can we do?

Oh SURE WE HAVE MORE IN STORE!!! From 8th to 17th of August 2009, SSMP welcomed 4 Health Nutrition undergraduates from Universiti Brawijaya, Indonesia. SSMP had collaborated with SPU (Sekolah Perubatan) for the whole event.
Well, being an exchange student means you'll still have to STUDY. That is why our 4 exchange students Tysa, Amel, Karina and Rany had attended some of the lectures. I believe our 1st year, 2nd year and also 3rd year friends had spotted them in class =)



Of course, it'll be too boring to be only studying, what's more, exchange students are supposed to experience everything new in a new place -- the food, the culture, and also not forgetting to enjoy the beautiful scenary of the surroundings.

Basically, we brought them to Pasar Tamu Jalan Gaya where they experience the lively community of Kota Kinabalu


Also brought them to the beautiful islands of TAR National Park for the sunshine, the beach and also the hotties playing in the water

We held a welcoming ceremony for all the delegates from Indonesia, including the medical exchange students


We celebrated the yearly independence spirit together


We had a walkthrough of the outside and inside of SSMP


We explored all the known and unknown beauty of Universiti Malaysia Sabah with laughter and lots of camwhore


We introduced local delicacies to the pretty ladies, although almost all the food being served are more or less similar to their hometown's


Not forgetting to bring them around different famous restaurants around Kota Kinabalu town


We brought them into the the land with different people and different cultures


We viewed the Sacred Mountain in awe, admiring the beauty of everything around us


And we gave our hearts out to Mother Nature

It was a wonderful experience for the PMSSMP members that shared memorable moments with the Indonesian delegates, and after browsing through all the photos above, I think everybody will be able to see the strong bond being formed between us and them.

Reported by: Charlotte Lok

Food Bites Edition 4, 2009

Note from Editor:

Hi, everyone! Welcome back to a new semester and to the first year students, welcome. I hope that all of you have adapted to the university’s environment and are ready to take on the new semester.

In this month's Food Bites, we have articles on how good dark chocolate is for our heart, a short fact on the Influenza A (H1N1) and an article about confectionery. There is a report on the Borneo Mushroom trip that was held last semester by the Exco of Sports and Recreations, and an exclusive interview with our PMSSMP President, Debbie Teo.

For the juniors who still haven’t got the faintest idea about this, do look out for our Food Bites, SSMP’s newsletter that is published every month, and check out our blog at http://pmssmp.blogspot.com. You can post your questions or comments there. Lastly, all the best to everyone on the start of a new semester and I do hope to see all SSMP’s students at our Family Day on the 1st of August!

Dark Chocolate Is GOOD For Our Heart

What was it like when you were munching chocolate bars in the olden days, especially during your childhood? Your mother would most likely nag at you and trying to stop you eating so much. Somehow they were right but not until scientists found out that eating chocolate actually do bring us benefits, more specifically heart-health benefits. Though, one thing should be made clear is not all types of chocolates are beneficial. Dark chocolate would be your best choice if you really care for your health. So instead of buying commercial milk chocolate, you should rather choose dark chocolate. What’s the reason behind them? I bet you would love to know more about it right?

Before you grab a chocolate bar or candy, you should first think of which is the ideal one over the others. Why dark chocolate then? The key lies within the processing of the cocoa. Dark chocolate is found to be retaining the highest level of flavonoids while still having acceptable taste. Flavonoids provide the pungent taste of the original cocoa that has not been processed. The more chocolate is processed, the more flavonoids will be lost and most of the commercial chocolates in the market fit this category. Some of you may not know what is flavonoid; flavonoids are actually naturally occurring compounds found in plant-based foods and in the mean time exude health benefits. Some food example includes cranberries, apples, peanuts, chocolate, onions, tea and also red wine. When we consume foods containing flavonoids, it is believed that we benefit from the ‘antioxidant’ power of the flavonoids too. This would mean that the cells of the body is able to resist damage caused by free radicals. Besides, this natural compound may also affect the relaxation of the blood vessels, help to reduce platelet activation or even affect the balance of hormone-like compounds such as eicosanoids (Believed to be playing a key role in cardiovascular health).

Now you should be more or less be able to understand more about dark chocolate and why scientists encourage the public to choose dark chocolates over any other types of chocolate like milk chocolates. Though, they are yet to confirm how much one should take in within a day as there is still more to be done as researchers are still trying to find out the answer. There are already quite a number of researches done to prove that dark chocolate does have health value to our heart. For example, the research done by Research Laboratories of the Catholic University in Campobasso, in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute of Milan which focused on the complex mechanism of inflammation. The major issue is to be able to keep the inflammation process under control as prevention and C-reactive protein is the most promising marker which is detectable by running a simple blood test. The research team related the levels of this protein in the blood of examined people with their usual chocolate intake. According to the data collected from the subjects, they made a hypothesis that high amounts of antioxidants contained in the cocoa seeds, in particular flavonoids and other kinds of polyphenols, might have beneficial effects on the inflammatory state. The proof is showed: Those who regularly have moderate amounts of dark chocolate showed a significantly low level of C-reactive protein in the blood. It’s indeed a good news because it means that the inflammatory state is reduced.

Nonetheless, one should not take it as an excuse to eat more chocolates because we are talking about moderate consumption. If we are to follow the suggested amount, it would be 6.7 grams of chocolate per day (equal to a small square of chocolate twice or thrice a week). Those who dislike dark chocolates because of its bitter taste should really reconsider about it and try to accept it to protect your heart. It’s all for your own good! So think about it folks.

An Exclusive Interview with the President of PMSSMP

The Food Bites team interviewed Debbie Teo, President of Persatuan Mahasiswa Sekolah Sains Makanan dan Pemakanan (PMSSMP), who was all shocked and surprised when she was announced the President during the last annual general meeting. The third year, Food Science and Nutrition senior, who was also the ex-editor of Food Bites, took some time off her hectic schedule to spill out some beans…

FB= Food Bites team D= Debbie

FB: So how do you feel when you were announced the new President for PMSSMP?

D: I did not expect to get the post. My mind totally blanked out at that moment and I was quite shocked because I was not prepared. The president’s job is quite heavy.

FB: Then do you feel that holding this post has affected your studies?

D: Judging from last semester’s result, it did not really affect my studies. I am still able to cope with my studies.

FB: Do you think that the PMSSMP board has grown a lot compared to last year’s?

D: There is a difference between last year’s board and this year’s. The previous board consisted of many first year students and many of us were inexperienced. But we managed to do the jobs that were given to us. This year’s board has more second year students who are more experienced and so, we did more challenging tasks and try out activities that we have never done before, like the UKM-UPM trip as well as making jackets for all committee members. We even did the muffin making twice. Six SSMP students, including myself, had the chance to go to Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) for the 6th Karniawan (Karnival Keusahawanan). This is the first time UMS participated. So overall, I would say that the board has improved in terms of the quality and type of activities.

FB: What difficulties do you usually face when doing your job?

D: At the beginning, the main restriction was that many people did not know me because I used to handle Food Bites only. It took some time for the lecturers and students to get to know me. The other problem I often encounter with is time management. The board may have set a annual timetable, but sometimes there are many ad-hoc activities and issues to deal with. After becoming the president, I’m now much busier than before because I have to make sure everyone does their work, and also meet up with people who want to have dealings with SSMP students. But now everything is running smoothly compared to the first semester.

FB: Then what have you experienced so far? Any positive changes towards your personality and attitude?

D: Before becoming the president, I used to be quite indecisive and do not like to make decisions. But now, I learn to make the correct decisions at the correct time because the final decision is always in my hands. In terms of time management, I am more disciplined. If I did not stick to my plans, my life would be messed up now. My friends say that I’m stern. But when not doing my job, I’m quite a down-to-earth person.

FB: Any words of wisdom to the juniors?

D: Learn to adapt well and be an all-rounder in the university. Gain more experience by joining more activities and make new friends as well. You gain experience in the university to help you in the future because in the university, you can still make mistakes. When you are out there working, you can’t afford to make more mistakes. The faster one adapts, the easier ones life will be.

FB: Are there any advices for those who are interested in becoming a member of PMSSMP?

D: They must have the passion, enthusiasm and want to contribute to the school and student welfare. PMSSMP is not a place for personal publicity and personal gain. It is a platform to gain experience, as well as to help the students in the school. If you do not join now, you’ll not have the chance when academic tasks are heavier than before.

FB: Last question. What are your hopes for SSMP in the future?

D: Now that there is a new course, I hope that these three course can develop more in the future. I also hope that the school can have more lab equipments and more lecturers. I personally think that the infrastructure is quite alright in SSMP.

FB: OK. So that’s all for this session. Thank you for spending some of your time with us. We wish you all the best in all your future undertakings!

INFLUENZA H1N1

Latest News:

The Influenza A (H1N1) pandemic is spreading at an “unprecedented” speed throughout the world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is now pointless to report each an every case as this virus is spreading very fast at an uncontrollable speed. It’d also be a waste of resources to report every single case. WHO announced that it’d be better to report cases accumulated within a week and for those countries with the first case of H1N1 must report to the WHO at once. The current death toll has reached to about 400 cases. There’s also no particular vaccine available at the moment and WHO urged everyone not to buy any vaccine without consulting physician or purchase it via the internet.

Using the Mask:

The mask should be used correctly, otherwise it may actually increase the risk of transmission.

If the mask is worn, one should dispose it properly to ensure the effectiveness and also to avoid any increase in risk of transmission which is associated with incorrect use of the mask.

Source: WHO

REPORT ON MUSHROOM TRIP 2009

On the 11^th-12^th of April 2009, our Exco of Sports and Recreations organized a mushroom trip to Borneo Mushroom at Kundasang. The trip, held on two consecutive days, saw around 80 SSMP students participating. The overall fees for this trip make it worthwhile for the students to join.

Upon arrival, we were given a simple breakfast, a variety of bread and freshly brewed hot mushroom tea. For most, it was the first time having to taste mushroom tea. Although the tea was very bitter, we were told that it contains medicinal properties and nutritional value.

After breakfast, we were given a briefing by Puan Jamilah, the facilitator there, about the different types of mushroom that can be generally found planted in Malaysia. Among those mushrooms are Pleurotus sajor caju (cendawan tiram kelabu), Pleurotus florida (cendawan tiram putih), Auricularia polytricha (cendawan telinga kera), Volvariella volvaceae (cendawan jerami padi), and also Ganoderma sp (cendawan Ling Zhi). An additional type of mushroom in Sabah is the Lentinus edodes (Shiitake). We were also taught about the mushroom planting process. Basically, this mushroom planting process consists of eight steps. The first main step is to prepare the substrate for the mushroom. The substrate is actually just made up of three main things, saw dust, paddy husks, and also agricultural chalk.

Besides preparing the substrate, we were also briefed about the maintenance of the mushroom house and ways to eliminate pests and also to avoid mushroom diseases. The basic rules for a mushroom house to operate is to have a good air ventilation, suitable temperature 28C-30C, high moisture content 80-90%, and “insects and diseases” proof. Good hygiene practice is essential to avoid any diseases and pests. We were told that mushroom produce is determined by the temperature, light, moisture, ventilation, and pH.

Mushrooms can help to lower our blood pressure, glucose and lipids content. They are also able to increase our immune system to ward off any virus or bacterial infections. Besides that, mushroom is believed to suppress tumor growth and can act as an antioxidant.

We were provided with lunch and dinner also for the one-day trip. After the briefing, we were brought around the different mushroom houses to have a look at the mushrooms that were planted. Different species of mushrooms were being put into different mushroom houses for their growth as mixing them together might affect their growth. This is due to the fact that the basic essentials and nutrients needed are different from one another. After having a tour around, we had a hands-on opportunity to prepare the mushroom substrate.

Before the day was over, Borneo Mushroom was selling Ling Tze mushroom and also Shiitake mushrooms. Many of us decided to purchase those mushroom product. The Ling Tze mushroom was priced at RM5 per small packet and RM10 per big packet.

All in all, this trip was a beneficial one for us SSMP students. We hope that there will be more of these trips in the near future. After knowing the beneficial properties of mushroom, just one advice, pump up your mushroom intake!

Sugar Rush

Confectionery is the set of food items that are rich in sugar, any one or type of which is called a confection. It is primarily for the sweet taste that the people have the confectionery items. But there are numerous flavours in which they are made. The variety of flavours in which the sweet items are available is also one of the reasons for its immense popularity. Some of the alternative terms which are used for it are sweets, lollies, candies and treats. Confectionery items include sweets, lollipops, candy bars, chocolate, cotton candy, and other sweet items of snack food. The term does not generally apply to cakes, biscuits, or puddings which require cutlery to consume, although exceptions such as petit fours or meringues exist.

Some of the categories and types of confectionery include the following:

Hard sweets: Based on sugars cooked to the hard-crack stage, including suckers (known as boiled sweets in British English), lollipops, jawbreakers (or gobstoppers), lemon drops, peppermint drops and disks, candy canes, rock candy, etc. These also include types often mixed with nuts such as brittle. Others contain flavourings including coffee such as Kopiko.

Fudge: A confection of milk and sugar boiled to the soft-ball stage. In the US, it tends to be chocolate-flavoured.

Toffee (or Taffy or Tuffy): Based on sugars cooked to the soft-ball stage and then pulled to create an elastic texture. In British English, toffee can also refer to a harder substance also made from cooked sugars which resembles toffee.

Swiss Milk Tablet: A crumbly milk-based soft and hard candy, based on sugars cooked to the soft-ball stage. Comes in several forms, such as wafers and heart shapes.

Liquorice: Containing extract of the liquorice root. Chewier and more resilient than gum/gelatine candies, but still designed for swallowing. For example, Liquorice allsorts. Has a similar taste to Star Anise.

Chocolates: are bite-sized confectionery. People who create chocolates are called chocolatiers, and they create their confections with couverture chocolate. A chocolate maker, on the other hand, is the person who physically creates the couverture from cocoa beans and other ingredients.

Jelly candies: Including those based on sugar and starch, pectin, gum, or gelatine such as Lokum/Turkish Delight, jelly beans, gumdrops, jujubes, cola bottles gummies, etc.

Marshmallow: "Peeps" (a trade name), circus peanuts, fluffy puff, etc.

Marzipan: An almond-based confection, doughy in consistency, served in several different ways. It is often formed into shapes mimicking (for example) fruits or animals. Alternatively, marzipan may be flavoured, normally with spirits such as Kirsch or Rum, and divided into small bite-sized pieces; these flavoured marzipans are generally served coated in chocolate to prevent the alcohol from evaporating, and are very common in northern Europe. Marzipan is also used in cake decoration. Its lower-priced version is called Persipan.

Divinity: A nougat-like confectionery based on egg whites with chopped nuts.

Not all confections equate to "candy" in the American English sense. Non-candy confections include:

Pastry: A baked confection whose dough is rich in butter, which was dispersed through the pastry prior to baking, resulting in a light, flaky texture.

Chewing gum: Uniquely made to be chewed, not swallowed. However, some people believe that at least some types of chewing gum, such as certain bubble gums, are indeed candy.

Ice cream: Frozen flavoured cream, often containing small chocolates and fruits.

Halvah: Confectionery based on tahini, a paste made from ground sesame seeds.

Alfajor: A traditional South American cookie typically consisting of two round sweet biscuits joined together with a sweet jam, generally dulce de leche (milk jam).

Dragée: Coated almonds and other types of coated candy.

Excessive consumption of cromulent confectionery has been associated with increased incidences of type 2 diabetes, obesity, embiggened buttocks, and tooth decay. However, it can’t be denied that the confectionery items contribute to the sweetness of life.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confectionery

http://www.readytouse.net/packaged-food-drink/confectionery/