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BY JULIO P. YAP JR.
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Monday, January 9, 2017
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THE Food Innovation Centers (FICs) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) can be the newest places to hunt for newly-developed innovative and nutritious food products.
Just recently, the DOST’s Industrial Technology Development Institute (ITDI) and the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD) recognized the Most Innovative Products developed from the Food Innovation Centers (FIC)technologies and came up with exciting new products developed using in-house equipment like water retort, vacuum fryer, spray dryer, and freeze dryer.
The finalists were tested in terms of the innovativeness, market viability, consumer acceptability, and soundness of process.
For the Most Innovative Products for Water Retort Technology, Tea Tums, developed by students and professors of the University of the Philippines Diliman, got the title.
These are healthy ready-to-drink juices made from lemongrass, calamansi blend infused with turmeric, and ginger.
Cagayan State University-Carig Campus placed second in this category through Uved, a traditional Ivatan food made from banana roots.
Region 2 got awards under the freeze drying technology: Gracilaria won as the Most Innovative Product, while Arius placed second.
Gracilaria is a kind of seaweed produced in Buguey, Cagayan, which can be used as flavoring or processed as seaweed chips.
Arius, on the other hand, is a tree that can grow anywhere in the Philippines but can only bear fruit in Batanes due to climate conditions.
For spray-dried products, Sea Grapes Powderof the Zamboanga State College of Marine Science and Technology in Region-9got the Most Innovative Product.
It claims to have natural salty, peppery taste which can be used as flavoring for chips, noodles, and baked products.
Bukolyte, developed by the Philippine Women’s College-Davao got the second place in this category.
Bukolyte is powdered form of the coconut water with no artificial flavor and preservatives added made from young coconuts.
Lastly, the Most Innovative Product for vacuum frying technology went to Crispy Sprouted Monggo of Region 2 which claims to contain more nutrients compared with ordinary monggo.
Fried mayahini or barinday of Eastern Visayas State University in Region 8 was awarded as the second Most Innovative Product for this category.
For the special awards, Region 2 received the “FIC with the Most Number of Qualifying Products” with their seven food product entries.
Another special award, the “Industry Choice Award,” was given to Regions 2 and 9 for Crispy Sprouted Monggo and Sea Grapes Powder, respectively.
This award recognizes product/s that scored high in the following criteria: novelty, consumer appeal, manufacturing feasibility, and can be priced competitively.
Food Innovation Centers were developed in 2015 housing five DOST-developed technologies, namely: vacuum packaging machine, water retort, vacuum fryer, spray dryer, and freeze dryer.
The spray dryer transforms liquids into powder instantly, the freeze dryer produces dried materials but prolongs shelf life.
The water retort machine improves shelf-life of food products even in non-refrigerated conditions, and the vacuum fryer creates crunchy products that are low in fat and high in fiber.
Commercialization of these food products poses the biggest challenge after the awarding ceremonies./PN
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