DOST 12 to launch the complementary food production center in SOCCSKARGEN

The complementary food production center jointly by the Department of Science and Technology-12 DOST’s Food and Nutrition Institute and the Sultan Kudarat State University will be launched on February 17, 2016 in time with the celebration on the Science Nation Tour, dubbed as “Agham na Ramdam”.

The launching will be graced by no other than Hon. Mario G. Montejo, Secretary of DOST to be assisted by the DOST 12 Regional Director, Dr, Zenaida P. Hr. Laidan and SKJSU President Dr. Rolando F. Hechanova and Regional Directors of DOST.

The center’s   now producing nutritious food products after the completion of equipment installation, training on technology transfer on production of complementary foods as well as commissioning and training on machine operation, maintenance and troubleshooting of the food processing machines, necessary for the eventual operation of the center.

Dr. Laidan, said that the DOST earlier granted the state-run university over Php 5 million worth of large-scale food processing equipment for the establishment of a Complementary Food Processing (CFP) Center.

Laidan said the SKSU is one of the five recipients of the program to roll out complementary food production. Other CFP facilities are located in Cordillera Autonomous Region, MIMAROPA Region, Zamboanga Peninsula and CARAGA. The center at SKSU is capable of processing and packing 120 kg of complementary food in one hour, she confirmed.

Products developed in the CFP center are rice-mongo curls, rice-mongo baby food blend, and rice-mongo-sesame baby food blend that provides essential fatty acids for the growing kids.

Laidan elaborated further that the project is a component of the DOST-Package for the Improvement of Nutrition of Young Children (PINOY) of the High Impact Technology Solutions (HITS) of the DOST.

DOST PINOY, she said is a nutrition intervention strategy intended to lessen the impact of the persistent problem of malnutrition among young Filipino Children six months to three years old. Beside the complementary foods products, the project also includes health and nutrition education of mothers and caregivers.

“DOST PINOY program has the full support of the Local Government of Isulan which has committed P200, 000 as initial funds for feeding program in 17 barangays of the municipality, where the BiMon complementary foods will be used. Governments’ agencies like DOH, DSWD and other local government units have also signified interest to purchase complementary foods.

She stressed that PINOY’s three components include nutrition education, complementary foods preparation, and feeding. It is part of a larger program called “Sulong Pinoy” that aims to address malnutrition in the country through science and technology-based interventions.

The nutrition education component is designed for mothers and caregivers of children six months to two years old who are underweight for their age. The education component aims to impart the importance of nutrition, breastfeeding and complementary foods to growing children; food safety; preparing meal plans; and growing vegetables in their own backyards.

The complementary foods component meanwhile, involves the introduction and preparation of FNRJ’s complementary food blends and snacks foods. The feeding component will entail 120 days of feeding underweight children in the community.

The DOST-FNRI developed the three complementary foods which are available in 30-gram packs to meet nutritional needed of this age group. The rice-mongo instant blend and rice-mongo-sesame blend are designed for 6-11 month-old children, while the rice-mongo curls are intended for one-year-old children, disclosed. By: Gemma Roda