Sustainability of the City Government of Valenzuela’s Barangay-Based Feeding Program (BBFP) is being strengthened as the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-FNRI) shares its baby food technology to the local government through the Valenzuela City Polytechnic College (ValPoly). 

The collaborative project shall adapt the “instant rice-mongo blend technology” to replace the more expensive baby food product that is currently provided by the LGU to the recipients of BBFP. Through this endeavor, not only that the local government will save funds, it is also anticipated to help curb the malnutrition rate among the Valenzuelano children, as it remains to be among the key health problems in the country today. 

DOST-FNRI granted the local government of Valenzuela a non-exclusive and non- transferrable license to adopt, utilize, make, produce or commercialize the technology and its products for a period of five years. It shall also provide the city-beneficiary with the necessary information, personnel training and technical and consultancy services within the agreed timeframe. 

This FNRI project being established in ValPoly is the first automated complementary baby food production facility in the country. The facility can produce up to 120 kilograms of baby food blend per hour or about 4,000 sachets (30 grams per PET or foil sachets). The product has a shelf life of one year when stored properly protected. According to FNRI, the recommended serving to derive the full nutritional benefits for children 6-36 months old, is one sachet per day. 

The food mixture is produced by grinding and mixing rice and mongo beans, which are then cooked through the extrusion method. The extruded mass is then ground into powder to produce an instant ready-to-eat blend. The powder is reconstituted by mixing and stirring into hot water until the desired consistency is achieved and can be eaten as is or mixed with cooked/mashed fruits and vegetables. 

Valenzuela’s population of children under five years old is 92,182. Out of this figure, 6,285 children or 6.8% are beneficiaries of the BBFP. 

The BBFP program, run by the Office of the Mayor, caters to two brackets of children- beneficiaries: (1) for babies between six to 24 months old; and (2) toddlers between 25 to 59 months old. The food distributed for the first bracket of children includes commercial baby food and fortified rice porridge mix; while for the second bracket, toddlers receive fortified instant noodles, biscuits and rice mix. 

Through the establishment of this new complementary food production facility, the existing budget allocation for the commercial baby food amounting to approximately Php 2,700,000 per year is likely to be reduced. This implies that potential savings may be reallocated by the local government for other health services. 

This baby food technology was among the key highlights of the recently concluded three-day CAMANAVA Science and Technology Fair, brought to Valenzuela City by the DOST and the Technology Application and Promotion Institute.