THE DEPARTMENT of Science and Technology has partnered with state universities and colleges to develop flour alternatives.

DOST Secretary Fortunato ‘Boy’ De La Peña said that the department collaborates with other institutions in the development of flour from other sources.

“We have Tarlac Agricultural University which is heavily into sweet potato research and development and sweet potato production,” he said.

“We have also Visayas State University in Baybay, Leyte which is into root crops, and our partners at the Bureau of Plant Industry and [Department of Agriculture] Regional Offices can be involved in the rollout and production of these crops,” he added.

The Food and Nutrition Research Institute, an attached agency of the DOST, has produced non-wheat products using coco flour or flour derived from corn, rice, and mongo, De La Peña said.

“The Industrial Technology Development Institute has also the so-called Emergency Food Reserve or the Sagip-Nutri Flour which is a blend of powders made from cassava, sweet potato, moringa or malunggay, squash, and mongo and it is an intermediate product that can be added to various food products like bread, nutrichoco bar, polvoron, meatless burger patties, lumpiang shanghai, cookies, cakes, and soup mixes,” he added.