Dreaded by some for its sticky syrupy feel, okra's daily oversupply in local markets has recently led to new products and discoveries that make great use of its notorious viscous property.
Banaba milk tea and toothpaste with calamansi seed oil are some of the new results of several studies on the viscosity or thickness of spray-dried okra fluid, according to the Department of Science and Technology - Industrial Technology Development Institute (DOST-ITDI).
ITDI has partnered with Greenstar Produce Philippines Inc. to produce these new products. Established in 2007 as a group company of Watari Co., Ltd. in Kanagawa, Greenstar processes fresh okra varieties and exports these to Japan.
ITDI has also developed a stabilizer from a new source, which is okra.
Most stabilizers or natural hydrocolloids come from plant (pectin, carrageenan, cellulose gum, locust bean gum), animal (gelatin), or microbial (xanthan gum, gellan gum) sources.
"Hydrocolloids are water-loving and are used as functional ingredients to increase product consistency, improve the gelling effect, and control the microstructure, texture, flavor, and shelf life of food or non-food products," DOST-ITDI said.
Oliver C. Evangelista, team leader of the project on sourcing hydrocolloids from okra, said that this excess volume of off-specs makes okra an ideal source of natural hydrocolloid because this new demand will not be competing with current uses for it.
Evangelista is encouraging food manufacturers and processors to utilize their okra or other by-products and generate additional income by creating value-added and innovative products.
"Interested parties can visit ITDI to explore the development of new products from their waste materials. Our Modular Multi-Industry Innovation Center or InnoHub sa Pinas is equipped with multi-functional modular equipment that can be retrofitted to suit every manufacturing line," he explained.