CM & SONS Food Products, Inc., popularly known as Merzci, brings Iron Rice Plus to Western Visayas.
Demonstrating its efforts dedicated to improve public health and nutrition, Merzci recently held a launching event entitled “Rice UP your Day” which features the iron rice premix and iron-fortified rice. The event was held at L’Fisher Hotel in Bacolod City.
Attending the grand launch were Merzci’s CEO and president Jonathan Manuel Lo; Department of Science and Technology-Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI) director, Dr. Imelda Angeles-Agdeppa; and DOST Negros Occidental provincial director, Engr. Allan Francis P. Dara-ug.
The iron rice premix is a grain-like kernel produced by hot extrusion technology from a blend of rice flour and iron. At least 400 milligrams of iron are present in every 100 grams of iron rice premix. The iron-fortified rice is an enhanced rice that is created by blending iron rice premix in a 1:200 ratio with regular rice.
These technologies were generated by the DOST-FNRI and commercialized by Merzci through DOST-FNRI’s Technology Transfer Program.
Aligned with Republic Act 8976 (Philippine Food Fortification Act of 2000), the “Rice UP your Day” event signifies a noteworthy achievement in the Visayas region, establishing a modern facility for iron-fortified rice production./PN
