True to its mandate to provide nutritious and delicious but cheaper bread, the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in partnership with DOST Region 10, Provincial Science and Technology Center (PSTC)-Misamis Oriental and Señor Ruben’s Bakeshop will be launching the “nutritious pandesal and other squash supplemented bread.”

The launching of the first bakeshop in Region 10 that offers “pandesal with squash” will be on December 6, 2008 at Señor Ruben’s Bakeshop branch in Angel Chavez Commercial Complex, Cogon Market, Cagayan de Oro City.

“Pandesal,” according to Cecilia A. Aca-ac, PSTC-Misamis Oriental Director, is a type of bread which is a common part of the Filipino breakfast and is accepted by all classes of consumers.

However, she said that the competitive advantage of “pandesal with squash” is its better nutritive value.

Aca-ac further said that squash is a good partial substitute for wheat flour and a good buffer in the increasing price of flour.

“With the added advantage of better nutritive value, the product can help improve the nutritional intake of Filipinos,” Aca-ac said.

FNRI has developed Vitamin A-Rich bread in a bid to fight malnutrition.

Further, the FNRI is pushing for the use of squash to enrich baked goods, including the everyday breakfast staple of pandesal, with Vitamin A.

According to FNRI’s 2003 National Nutrition Survey, 40 out of 100 children, aged six months to five years, have deficient and low Vitamin A levels.

Likewise, 36 out of 100 children, aged six to 12 years old, are within the same deficiency levels. Thus, according to Director Aca-ac, the prevailing nutrition situation prompted the FNRI to develop nutritious products to combat malnutrition.

Accordingly, bakery products like pandesal, buns and loaf bread are favorite food items of Filipinos and are thus good vehicles for nutrient enrichment.

Daily consumption of pandesal, buns and loaf bread may provide at least 18 to 30 percent of the Recommended Energy and Nutrient Intakes (RENI) for energy, Vitamin A and iron of seven to nine-year-old children.

The FNRI, an attached agency of the Department of Science and Technology, is the principal research arm of the government in food and nutrition.

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