🛠 NEMJO Automated Industrial Yam Pounding & Cooking Machine

📌 Problem Statement

Pounded yam remains a cherished staple in West Africa. Traditionally prepared by manually pounding boiled yam with a pestle and mortar, the process is revered for the resulting smooth, elastic, and non-lumpy texture — a standard that mechanical substitutes have long struggled to replicate.

• Labour-intensive and time-consuming, taking upwards of 45 minutes and significant manual effort.
• Unsuitable for modern kitchens or commercial production due to hygiene risks, inconsistent quality, and physical demands.
• Challenging to scale, with no prior solution delivering the exact texture and consistency of traditional pounding, particularly when cooking and pounding are separated.

Efforts by others to automate the process typically involved chopping or blending the yam, which often resulted in starchy paste or mashed textures, failing to match the traditional dish.

✅ NEMJO’s Research-Based Solution

Objective: To develop a machine that automates the cooking and pounding of yam in a single unit, using a process that emulates traditional texture, while being energy-efficient, hygienic, and scalable.

🔬 Key Research Highlights:

• Texture Benchmarking: Collaborated with local chefs, food scientists, and caterers to analyze the exact tactile properties of hand-pounded yam — focusing on stretchiness, firmness, and mouthfeel.
• User-Centered Feedback: Gathered input from over 100 test users to identify the common failures of existing devices — especially the grainy or sticky texture of alternative models.
• Thermal Behavior Analysis: Studied yam’s gelatinization and textural transition under various heat and pressure conditions to identify optimal cooking and pounding profiles.

🎯 NEMJO's Integrated Solution

NEMJO developed the Automated Industrial Yam Pounder and Cooking Machine to address these critical gaps by providing a fully integrated solution that automates both the cooking and pounding processes, making it suitable for households, caterers, and food manufacturers.

🌟 Key Innovations:

• 🔥 Automated Cooking Unit: Precisely cooks yam to the optimal texture using calibrated temperature and timing systems.
• 🌀 Integrated Pounding System: Mechanically mimics traditional pounding, ensuring smooth, lump-free pounded yam (also known as Iyan or Fufu).
• 💧 Hygienic Stainless Steel Chamber: Easy to clean and food-grade safe, reducing the risk of contamination.
• ⚙ Programmable Settings: Allows users to adjust softness or texture to suit local taste preferences.
• ⚡ Energy Efficiency: Designed with insulated compartments to retain heat and minimize energy consumption.
• 👨‍🔧 Maintenance-Friendly: Modular design makes it easy to service or replace parts without specialized tools.

📈 Impact:

• 🔄 Reduces processing time by over 60%
• 💪 Eliminates physical strain on users, especially in commercial settings
• 🎯 Consistent results in every batch, regardless of user expertise
• 🚀 Scalable for small food vendors to industrial producers
• 📈 Enables mass production of pounded yam, opening new markets for packaged, ready-to-eat African staples