Coco sugar, tilapia ice cream ready for global market
LOS BAÑOS, Laguna — Two award- winning products created by Filipino researchers are ready to conquer the global food market. Take coco sugar. The sugar product produced from the sap of cut flower buds of the coconut palm is now distributed in Australia, the US and as far as Germany and the United Kingdom. The product has also been exhibited in 19 trade fairs and promoted through television and radio programs.
The other “rising star” is the Daerrys Tilapia Ice Cream, which won the Innovator Gold award of the Salon International de L’Agroalimentaire ( SIAL) held in Manila last May. Selected from among 350 exhibitors from 25 countries, it will soon be showcased in the SIAL network in France, Canada, China, Indonesia and the Middle East.
Half a decade ago, at the First National Coconut Sap Sugar Congress held in Davao City, the coconut sugar venture had been considered as a “sunrise industry” and was expected to be the “new superstar product” in the food export world.
Coco sugar has low glycemic index (GI) compared with other natural sweeteners that are sugarcane- based. Low GI products can help control diabetes mellitus, reduce bad cholesterol and maintain weight. With these as some of the benchmarks, a project aimed to further unravel coco sugar’s potentials was conducted by the Southern Philippines Agri- business and Marine and Aquatic School of Technology in Malita, Davao del Sur.
The project won the first prize in the 2016 National Symposium on Agriculture and Aquatic Resources Research and Development, Development category, held under the aegis of DOST in observance of this year ’ s National Science and Technology Week. A PCAARRD initiative, NSAARRD showcases the most outstanding contributions of individuals and institutions in the improvement of the agriculture, aquatic and natural resources sectors in the country through research and development.
Through the project, Davao del Sur farmers have been trained on the application of science and technology to increase coconut sap production, processing and marketing coco sugar in the local and international markets, reported PCAARRD, currently headed by acting executive director Reynaldo Ebora.
The Daerrys Tilapia Ice Cream, on the other hand, was the result of a project undertaken by researchers Dana Vera Cruz and Dr. Tereso Abella of the Central Luzon State University in the Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija. Its name was coined from the combination of the researchers’ nicknames, Dana and Terry. Vera Cruz conducted the study while Abella developed the recipe.
The unique ice cream won the SIAL Innovation Gold award during the SIALASEAN Manila 2016 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City last May. The event was organized by Comexposion Group and Manila Foods and Beverages Expo.
Made of tilapia fillet, all- purpose cream, condensed and fresh milks, chopped walnut and diced cheese, the ice cream has no fishy smell and aftertaste. The Daerrys Tilapia Ice Cream line includes original flavored, sansrival, pops and sandwich.