CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro (PIA) — A total of 37 innovative products have been developed by various micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the MIMAROPA region through the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) MIMAROPA’s Food Innovation Center (FIC) in the region.
In a presentation during the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas, Tuesday, DOST said that the agency continues to drive economic growth in the region through supporting local businesses and contributing to the expansion of the food industry in the region.
DOST MIMAROPA Regional Director Ma. Josefina P. Abilay said that the FIC serves as a facility in providing resources for local entrepreneurs.
“The FIC or Food Innovation Center offers training in food development processes, technical consultancy and assistance with packaging and labeling design,” she said.
Abilay stressed that the products developed from DOST’s FIC represent an advancement in local food processing which include water retort, oven-dried, vacuum-fried and spray-dried products.
There is only one FIC established in the region. It is located at the Mindoro State University in Calapan City.
In MIMAROPA region, these innovative goods produced in FICs that were eventually marketed to the neighboring regions were turmeric-flavored smoked milkfish in oil, ready-to-eat arrozcaldo beef, smoked bangus spanish style, and chicken pastil, among others.
On the other hand, DOST Oriental Mindoro Provincial Director Jesse Pine said that these products were not only enhanced in terms of quality and market appeal but also created new opportunities for local entrepreneurs.
“We are providing them with the tools and knowledge to scale their businesses and reach a broader consumer base in the market,” said Pine.
Meanwhile, Abilay said that these services help transform local concepts into viable, innovative products that can compete in regional and national markets. In fact, one product developed at the FIC that has also been commercialized in 2022 is the vacuum fried oyster mushroom from Oriental Mindoro.
DOST MIMAROPA continues to develop technologies to empower MSMEs by bringing their food processing ideas to life and create marketable, high-quality products. (AS/PIA MIMAROPA-Oriental Mindoro)
