FOOD & AGRICULTURE
Development of Retrogradation-resistant Thermally Processed
Local Rice Cake Products for Use as Disaster Food
Benjamin A. Gonzales | Danisha Nina S. Guiriba | Janah Eloisa E. Hernandez | Jadice J. Lim |
Alyana Marie C. Tanlimco
Department of Food Science and Nutrition
E-mail: [email protected]
As a nation that is frequently hit by typhoons and other natural disasters, the
Philippines faces constant challenges in preparing and providing relief goods
during and in the aftermath of calamities. One of the key problems is the lack of
supply and variety of ready-to-eat (RTE) food for disaster victims.
To address this, the researchers developed two popular Filipino rice cake
products – biko and suman sa lihiya – into RTEs suitable for use as disaster food.
Rice cakes were chosen for the project because they are ubiquitous across the
country and are considered delicacies that are commonly eaten as treats or during
special occasions. In serving RTE biko and suman to disaster victims, the
researchers hope to provide not only variety, but also a familiar, pleasant taste to
their diet.
Preservation of the RTE rice cakes began by solving the problem of
retrogradation or hardening of the rice kernels during storage, followed by the
prototyping of thermally processed products using inputs from actual disaster
victims. The resulting products from the tests need no refrigeration, no
preparation prior to consumption, and are packaged to withstand rough transport
and handling conditions without compromising the packaging, and thus, the
safety of its contents.
UP Diliman SALIKSIKHAY | 25