DILIMAN, Quezon City—With the different uses of corn in the food processing and manufacturing industry, value-adding for this crop can be highly profitable according to a food technology expert.
In a radio interview, Phoebe Galeon, a faculty member at the Department of Food Science and Technology in the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines-Cagayan de Oro Campus, highlighted the different opportunities in processing corn.
“Corn is one of the abundant raw materials in Region 10. It has commercial potential that is yet to be maximized. It is one of the crops that we study about and develop products for value-adding,” she said.
Galeon shared value-adding ideas starting from the basic ways of boiling or grilling the corn, and incorporating it in vegetable dishes or soups. Corn-based food like “puto” or the Northern Mindanao delicacy called “binaki” may also be explored, according to Galeon.
Other food products that are made using corn are tortilla, dumpling, and tacos; breakfast cereal; chips; and coffee. Corn meal, corn starch, corn flour, and corn oil are among the highly processed products derived from the crop.
Sodas and juices are also produced using high-fructose corn syrup. Meanwhile, other applications of corn include the production of dextrose, maltodextrin, textile, paper, and pharmaceuticals.
According to Galeon, determining the variety of corn to use for processing depends on the type of application.
“The Visayan white corn is usually used in making corn grits. Yellow corn, on the other hand, is usually mixed in animal feeds. We also have glutinous corn or ‘lagkitan’, which is usually made as cornick. There is also wild purple corn, sweet corn, and baby corn,” Galeon said.
Galeon shared more corn processing tips on the “Agri Asenso” teleradyo program on DZRH last April 15, 2023. This is in line with the celebration of the Filipino Food Month.
The full episode is available on the Facebook page of the Agricultural Training Institute at https://fb.watch/k7mUxVmx_9/.
