Unknown to many, mango sauce when combined with pili oil can make a unique and truly delightful taste as dressing for certain kinds of foods.
Confident on what these flavors have to offer, the science cupboard has unleashed these food products to seek their rightful place in the market.
The use of the combined flavors to achieve a delectable and mouth-watering dish was demonstrated during an expo at the World Trade Center recently. With the combined flavors, the ordinary macaroni and vegetable salads became even more appetizing.
Dubbed as flavors of science, the mango sauce used in the preparation was a product of Magsasaka Siyentista Rebecca C. Tubongbanua of the Farmers Information and Technology Services of Guimaras, while the pili oil was a product of Magsasaka Siyentista Minda Yee of Sorsogon City.
Becky began her modest food processing company in her barrio of San Isidro in Buenavista, Guimaras in 2003. Now her mango products which use the brand name “McNester” are best sellers in Guimaras and its neighboring provinces. They are also being exported to other countries including Hongkong, Japan, and Thailand. Aside from mango sauce, her products include mango catsup, flavored polvoron, dried fruits, jams, jellies, pickles, chutney, calamansi concentrate, and calamansi juice.
Becky was awarded as the most successful Region 6 agri-entrepreneur by the Department of Agriculture-Agribusiness Marketing Assistance Division in 2009 in Iloilo City.
Her inspirational venture into mango processing technology was also featured in the book “The Art of Agribusiness: 111 Stories and More Success Stories in Agri- Entrepreneurship,” published by Agriculture Secretary Arthur C. Yap in 2009.
Minda Yee’s business with pili oil is no minor feat. It all started as a very crude activity of manually squeezing out the juice from the pili pulp using cheesecloth and then cooking it into the right texture. She remembers almost giving up during the first try as she was not able to get any. She repeated the process until she became successful. She pursued the venture with her family’s encouragement. By the year 2000, Yee was already selling pili oil in addition to other Leslie’s Pili Products.
Pili oil is now known for its distinct characteristics and various applications. It contains substantial amounts of protein, iodine, calcium, vitamins, minerals and beta carotene. B-carotene is the precursor of vitamin A. It has also high levels of other carotenoids, phytosterols and tocopherols or Vitamin E. These substances are known as powerful anti-oxidants.
The organic oil from pili pulp is suitable for cooking, salad dressing, shortening and other food preparations. It was later discovered that the oil is an anti-microbial agent, anti inflammatory agent, and effective in healing wounds, and allergies. It is also used as an additive for anti-dandruff shampoo and as massage oil for muscle pain and arthritis.
It was therefore, not surprising that the news about the quality of Minda’s pili oil product gradually spread, first in her little community, and then in nearby towns. With its beneficial effects on the skin, it did not take long until it gained the support of companies like spas and organic producers in Manila, aside from the market it has found in the Bicol Region. At present, Minda is already getting ready to export her pili oil product to France.
This culinary innovation that endeavors to use locally manufactured food products was made possible through the TechnoMart (TM). TM is part of the most recent technology diffusion modality initiated by Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD). It bridges the gap between science and technology-based enterprises and the industry through business mentoring and product market matching.
With TM, it can be expected that other agricultural processed products from the science cupboard are in the offing. (Ricardo R. Argana and Noel C. Catibog, S&T Media Service)
