ILOILO CITY: There is now a solution to the farmers’ dilemma on surplus and food loss here and the rest of the country, thanks to this food processor facility designed by the Department of Science and Technology (DoST).

This Mobile Food Processing Facility (MFPF) called “FoodtrIP” aims to cater to the processing needs of farmers in various provinces.

With FoodtrIP, farm produce and other products that are not sold in the market can now be processed to increase shelf life, thereby avoiding wastage and ensuring additional income for the farmers.

The beauty of this food processor is that this is mobile, which means it can be brought to any place where there is a surplus of farm produce.

This particular mobile food processor was launched by the DoST in Iloilo City on November 23 during the National Science and Technology Week celebration. The launching was attended by various local industries, regional offices, state universities and colleges (SUCs), cooperatives, and other STI partners.

The facility can also serve as a food processing training and demo facility for agriculture and fishery commodities.

The said MFPF truck will be stationed at Capiz State University’s Dayao Campus.

For Western Visayas, the DoST will first launch a frying module that features pre-processing, conventional frying, vacuum frying, and packaging technologies.

With the clear success of the food processor it designed, the DoST is set to deploy more units to Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan), Zamboanga, and Northern Mindanao.

The launching was attended by various local industries, regional offices, SUCs, cooperatives, and other STI partners.