STA. MARCELA, Apayao (PIA) -- The Department of Science and Technology Provincial S&T Center (DOST-PSTC) Apayao is continuously promoting the two vacuum fried products it developed together with its Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP) adoptor, the Jannah's Food Store.

 
During the Siyensiya, Teknologiya, at Inobasyon sa Kordillera radio program, Apayao PSTC Provincial Director Debbie Glynn Manangkil said they will enroll the Dinengdeng Chips and the Mixed Fruits Crisp to the IPO, and they will have a Technology Licensing Agreement with the firm owner, Gina Palustre.This is part of the requirements for the Food Innovation Center (FIC) Marketing Academy.

The two products were among the top 10 product prototypes chosen during the FIC North Luzon Cluster Fair held in Baguio City last May, and proceeded to the FIC North Luzon Cluster Marketing Academy in June 4 in Pampanga.

Following the Pampanga event, some stakeholders signified their interest to be supplied with the two vacuum dried products, Manangkil said. She added that they will formalize the necessary documents to formalize the trade.

The Dinengdeng Chips is a mixture of squash, beans, okra, sweet potato, and mushroom while the Mixed Fruits Crisp includes banana, jackfruit, and papaya. Once vacuum fried and packed, inside the pouch is a separate flavoring such as powdered bagoong, powdered tomato, among others. Each pack of 50 grams costs P70.00.

Manangkil shared their plan to encourage more farmers to plant more vegetables where they can source out the raw materials for the said products, thus helping also the farmers to market their products, and to collaborate with farmers associations in the province for this.

"We will be able to help farmers, and also, these products can be used as a supplemental feeding for our underweight children as well as this can also be used as food in case of disaster," she said.

 
Further, through the said innovation using the vacuum frying technology, children can be encouraged to eat vegetables.

 "Ang mga bata kasi kung minsan parang ayaw nila kung ipre-present mo as dinengdeng. But may innovation tayo, ginawa nating crispy ang mga vegetables through the use of vacuum frying technology. Ini-encourage natin sila to eat vegetables," Manangkil explained.

The two products will be part of the FIC Marketing Academy National Market Launch in Quezon City on June 25, 2022.  (JDP/DEG-PIA CAR)