Introduction (640 words)

There has been a growing interest in the nutritional value of the foods we consume and the processing practices that generally depict the kinds of standards these foods pass through. These practices may lead to wastage of nutritional value or better yield.

Goals of the study

This study aims to investigate nutrient yield and wastage during food processing. The proposed study will focus on the manufacturing of meat using a mixed methodology approach to investigate the extent of yield or extent to which nutrients are lost during meat processing. The study will:

• Enhance knowledge and understanding about food processing practices in meat manufacturing

•Identify and discuss factors that lead to wastage during food processing

•Identify barriers to the quality of yield in processed meat

•Increase an understanding of the influences that poor processing practices can have on yield and wastage

•Define and describe current dominant practices among manufacturers

•Improve public awareness about health issues that relate to wastage and nutritional value of foods consumed

•Recommend interventions designed to decrease the occurrence of wastage during manufacturing

•Complement existing bodies of research on nutritional value of processed foods especially meat

Outline of the work (468 words)

The proposed study shall have five major chapters and will be organized as follows:

Introduction: This chapter will provide a background to the study and provide a rationale for the study with a clear explanation of the objectives, research questions and philosophy. Where appropriate, the introductory chapter shall close with a guiding theoretical framework to offer a more specific support and basis for the current study. This chapter will be followed by literature review.

Literature review: this chapter shall help in placing the study in a specific context by reviewing the existing body of literature, past studies and current studies relevant to the topic under consideration, which is “Yield and wastage in food composition” hence identify gaps in existing body of literature that the current study helps in filling or areas where the study provides more strengthening. The chapter will further be organized under several subheadings. The chapter will then be followed by an outline on approach and methodology.

Methodology: this will essentially be the third chapter of the dissertation and will highlight the methodology used to achieve the objectives of the study. For this reason, this chapter shall begin by highlighting the study population to be focused on. This will be done by first focusing on the research design and basically the researcher expects to employ a mixed research design where both qualitative and quantitative techniques to maximize on the advantages of the two techniques. This chapter will also provide the sampling techniques to be used and the instruments to be used in data collection methods. Among the options that can be used in data collection include administration of questionnaires, observation, interviews and surveys options among other ways that can help in getting relevant data for the study. The methodology chapter shall also provide an explanation f how data analysis exercise shall be carried out and further provide justification for the data analysis technique to be used. Three approaches are basically available for the researcher hence the research can employ descriptive statistics as a way to analyse the data, or use inferential statistics to test specific hypotheses or even use narrative description where the data collected was mainly qualitative. There will also be the findings section, in which the results of the study shall be analysed and discussed. Conclusion and recommendations sections will follow in which the conclusion part shall derive from the findings and relate it with the literature review and pinpoint the way objectives are fulfilled. Recommendations shall be made in two perspectives. The first perspective shall be in relation to future research studies in the field while the other part shall touch on recommendations touching on industry practices. The bibliography shall provide references for all consulted sources.

Expected Results (113 words)

The research expects to find a large correlation between processing practices and yield and wastage in nutrient composition in processed meat. In addition to this, it is expected that the research shall finally identify barriers to the quality of yield and factors that contribute to wastage. I also expect to increase understanding of the influences that processing practices have in the reduction of nutrient loss and guaranteeing of high yields. The results from this study will hopefully define and describe current practices in meat processing, the levels of yield achieved and the extent of nutrient loss and attempt to come up with recommendations to act as possible solutions to identified problems and barriers.