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5 firms to make enhanced nutribun

By Ma. Cristina Arayata

July 3, 2020, 7:16 pm

<p>(<em>Image grabbed from DOST Secretary Fortunato dela Peña's Facebook page</em>)</p>

(Image grabbed from DOST Secretary Fortunato dela Peña's Facebook page)

MANILA -- At least five companies have already expressed interest to adopt or make the Food and Nutrition Research Institute's enhanced nutribun (e-nutribun), an official said on Friday.

These firms are all located in Luzon and are under negotiation with the FNRI, Director Mario Capanzana told the Philippine News Agency in a phone interview.

He added that the e-nutribun of these five huge companies would be for their social programs and commercial production.

The e-nutribun, he said, is an enhanced and more nutritious version of the nutribun in the 1970s.

"The nutribun in the 1970s, 1980s was big, heavy, hard, so children normally couldn't finish eating it, because of its texture," he said.

FNRI's e-nutribun has an improved texture, while still carrying the requirement of more or less 500 kilocalories. "Other micronutrients such as Vitamin A, iron, iodine, were added by putting natural ingredients," he said.

Capanzana said squash was among the natural ingredients that the FNRI used to improve the bread's taste.

He said FNRI plans to launch the e-nutribun virtually before the end of July. "We are thinking of launching it online and invite technology partners. Maybe we would produce some, to be used in a demo," he said.

After the launching, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) regional offices would conduct an online forum for potential bakers and adoptors. The FNRI would share with them the technical know-how for free.

"Our only requirement would be a MOA (memorandum of agreement) with our technology adoptors," Capanzana said, adding that this is to monitor if the adoptors are following the right steps and ingredients in making the e-nutribun.

"We need to know if they are doing the right thing because if they would deviate the process or ingredients, our purpose for the e-nutribun would be set aside," he said.

Capanzana said the technology adopters have the option to either sell the e-nutribun, or donate them. (PNA

 

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