Recently, Ajinomoto Co., (Thailand) Ltd. conducted the "Nuasart Start Camp" activity at The Cavalli Casa Resort in Ayutthaya, gathering students in the field of dietetics and nutrition to gain experience and knowledge about enhancing flavours with umami, particularly for hospital food that aids patient recovery. Participants also had the opportunity to visit the Ajinomoto factory, preparing to become professional dietitians in the near future. The event, lasting two days and one night, was presented in an edutainment workshop format, aiming to lead in the creation of well-being by addressing food and health issues in society through our core values.
A Taste Lab activity was included to teach seasoning techniques through food tasting experiences of dishes made from different seasoning proportions, which can make meals both delicious and nutritious. This was followed by a Taste Maker activity, joined by well-known food experts such as Ms Paweena Wongaiyara (Facebook page เมื่อวานนี้ทานอะไร) to share experiences of being a dietitian, Chef Tuck Nuti Hutasingh (Facebook page Tuck the Chef) on creating less sodium yet delicious meals, and Mr Sarun Bangkusonjit (Facebook page การตลาดการเตลิด) on effective communication with target audiences. The last activity, Taste Hackathon, was honourably joined by Mr Samitti Chotsriluecha, a nutrition guru and professional dietitian from Phramongkutklao Hospital. It was a group activity to win a prize over 50,000 Baht, allowing participants to create and adjust recipes with limited ingredients to produce a nutritious and delicious dish, then present it to a specific target group such as hospital cooks, patients, doctors.
Dietitians play a crucial role in providing nutritional care to patients, both in hospitals and during recovery at home. The challenge for dietitians is to create nutritious meals that are controlled in sodium, sugar, and calories but remain delicious, encouraging patients to eat well and recover swiftly after medical treatment. Communicating about appropriate nutrition and cooking techniques using umami flavour is a challenge dietitians face to convince hospital staff, caretakers, and even patients to gain a correct understanding and to implement it in daily life.
This activity is one of the ways Ajinomoto aims to promote well-being among Thais, especially hospital patients. Eating unappealing food can hinder recovery, whereas less-sodium but tasty food can make patients happier and aid in their recovery. The two-day event was filled with both knowledge and enjoyment, enhancing the skills of dietetics students who might be considered key opinion leaders in passing on and supporting good health knowledge to the Thai population afterwards.
