The Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) will soon bake the fourth variant of its enhanced nutribun (E-Nutribun)—the ube (purple yam) variant.
DOST Secretary Fortunato “Boy” T. de la Peña said the public can expect the development of the ube variant of the E-Nutribun.
“Our DOST-FNRI is already working on the ube variant of the E-Nutribun,” he said on the DOSTv Facebook page on Friday, Oct. 22.
The DOST-FNRI launched on Oct. 15, its enhanced nutribun sweet potato variant in a move to address the increasing incidence of malnutrition in the country.
READ MORE: https://mb.com.ph/2021/10/15/ph-third-variant-of-e-nutribun-launched/
The launch of the kamote variant was made almost six months after the enhanced nutribun carrot variant was unveiled in April this year.
De la Peña cited that the DOST-Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) in partnership with the DOST-FNRI initiated the development of the E-Nutribun variant utilizing sweet potatoes to capitalize on this agricultural produce native to the Cordillera region.
"Sweet potato is a resilient crop that could survive typhoons and is available all year round. Its use will provide additional products to the existing eNutribun adaptors as well as offer an alternative market to sweet potato farmers.”
The new sweet potato E-Nutribun variant is the third eNutribun variant that was developed by DOST-FNRI after the squash and carrot variants, the DOST chief noted.
"Similar to the other two variants, sweet potato is an excellent source of natural fiber, energy, protein, iron, calcium, potassium, and zinc. It has zero trans-fatty acids and has no cholesterol.”
The round-shaped, light yellow enhanced nutribun weighs approximately 165 grams.
One serving of enhanced nutribun sweet potato variant contains 507 kilocalories, 17 grams of protein, six milligrams of iron and 612 micrograms (ug) of vitamin A.
The development of the sweet potato variant was funded by the DOST-CAR’s Local Grants-In-Aid.
DOST Undersecretary for Research and Development (R&D) Rowena Cristina Guevara said “also coming soon are the Enhanced Nutribun with orange and purple variants of sweet potato.”
The FNRI’s first variant of nutribun is that with squash. It was launched in July 2020.
Currently, there are 151 technology adoptors of the enhanced nutribun squash variant and 101 for enhanced nutrition carrot variant nationwide.