Palawan Adventist Health Products adopts DOST’s Enhanced Nutribun technology
“For a healthy Palawan, Choose Nutribun” was a quote mentioned by Palawan Adventist Health Products, the newest adopter of the Enhanced Nutribun technology.
The Palawan Adventist Health Productsis one of the DOST-MIMAROPA’s assisted clients and largest bread producers in Palawan. The company recentlystarted producing the Enhanced Nutribun developed by the Department of Science and Technology-Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI). The firm isknown for offering healthy food options such as tofu, soya milk, and whole wheat bread in the province.
Following the DOST-FNRI’s virtual site visit to the Palawan Adventist Health Products’ facility, the company was found eligible as an adopter of the technology that later led to their inclusion in the roster of adopters under Batch 7. DOST-FNRI provided virtual training for the firm before it was finally awarded the production license on 29 March 2021.
DOST-MIMAROPA with Palawan Adventist Health Products
According to the institute, the enhanced nutribun is an improved and reformulated version of the nutribun distributed during the ‘70s. It contains more micronutrients necessary to meet the nutrient requirements for children and the texture is made softer. Each serving of the enhanced nutribun, weighing 160-165 grams per piece, has 504 calories and is enriched with 17.8 grams of protein, 6.08 milligrams of iron, and 244 micrograms of vitamin A. Also, it has zero trans-fat and cholesterol.
The enhanced nutribun was developed at the most appropriate time when the country is currently experiencing the COVID-19 pandemic that has aggravated issues in food security, malnutrition, and hunger. The technology aims to help individuals, most especially children, meet their required nutritional needs. It was developed in response the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Memorandum Circular No. 12 Series of 2020or the Guidelines in the Implementation of the Supplementary Feeding Program During Community Quarantine or Other Similar Emergencies.
Prior to the adoption of this technology by the Palawan Adventist Health Products, the first firm to commercially produce the enhanced nutribun in the province was St. Yves Bakeshop in Puerto Princesa City.
Oplan Kalusugan in Palawan
The adopted Enhanced Nutribun technology and nutritional label placed in DepEd’s School-based Feeding Program developed by DOST-FNRI.
Since March 2021, Palawan Adventist Health Products has been supplying the enhanced nutribun for the school-based feeding programs in the entire province under the Oplan Kalusugan of the Department of Education-Palawan (DepEd-Palawan). To date, it has already produced 150,000 pieces of the nutritious bread.
“It is indeed beneficial that we adopted the technology since it helps us promote our advocacy of healthy eating,” said Ellen Mae Velasco, the Industries Manager of the Palawan Adventist Health Products. “enhanced nutribunnot only brings sales and profit but also fulfills our mission of sharing God’s love through healing by serving nutrient-dense foods to the undernourished children in the province.”
She also said that, with all the positive impacts of the technology on their business, they were able to create more job opportunities for the community in return.
In addition to the school-based feeding programs, the firm now plans on promoting and distributing the enhanced nutribunto supermarkets and malls, and eventually expand throughout the province. Their application for PhilGeps certification is also already in the pipeline to enable them to participate in government procurement bids.
“We are very much grateful to DOST-MIMAROPA and DOST-FNRI for their unwavering support in our adoption of this new technology. We look forward to more years of partnership in improving the health and nutritional status of every Palaweño,” said Velasco, revealing that they are interested to adopt more food technologies from the DOST-FNRI.
DOST-MIMAROPA further said that Palawan Adventist Health Products is just one of the many innovative firms in the province. The firm was among the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP) graduates in 2017. Lastly, the firm also availed the consultancy services offered by the DOST-MIMAROPA through the Manufacturing Productivity Extension Program (MPEX) and the Consultancy for Agricultural and Manufacturing Productivity (CAMPI).
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