VATIS UPDATE Article

The Philippines Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has developed the rice milk, offering a healthy alternative to soya, almond, and cow’s milk drink, and a new addition to the beverage industry’s product line. Led and motivated by Industrial Technology Development Institute (ITDI) Director, Dr. Maria Patricia V. Azanza, the research team is relentless in exploring the many benefits of our country’s agricultural produce, one of which is rice. Using one of the DOST – developed food processing equipment called the water retort, the team was able to process rice into milk drink and shake.

“These newly developed rice milk drink and shake products are among the many food product prototypes being developed under the DOST Food Innovation Centers (FICs) established nationwide starting April 2015. And we also hope to recognize the most innovative products,” Azanza explained. She added that the project also aims to train food product development teams and develop at least 2,000 product prototypes using the DOST – designed and developed food processing equipment.

The DOST rice milk is made from the cultivars/base of red, brown, black and glutinous (malagkit) rice. To prepare, the rice is mixed with water, boiled, blended, homogenized, bottled, and pasteurized at 80 to 90 degrees Celsius using water retort. To add a twist and perk up the taste of rice milk, the team added other flavors such as mango (e.g., ripe carabao and pico); banana (saba, cavendish, latundan, lakatan, senyorita); coffee (cappuccino, mocha); and chocolate. Contact: Engr. Norberto Ambagan, Chief of the Food Processing Division, Industrial Technology Development Institute, Tel: +837-2071-2187.