LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The Benguet State University (BSU) has developed a dried “chop suey chips” technology that it hopes more processors will adopt to help curb the dumping and rotting of surplus highland vegetables.
“We have right now two adapters producing small quantity of vacuum-sealed fried chopsuey chips, but we might ask the Food Science Research Institute to help us promote the product and encourage more adapters,” Dr. Jao-jao Somayden, dean of the BSU College of Home Economics and Technology, said in an interview on Thursday.
Developed through research from 2021 to 2023, the technology aims to address chronic oversupply that forces farmers to discard or give away produce, resulting in income losses.
The two current adapters are allowed to use the technology for free as part of BSU’s extension service.
Among them is the United Mothers Livelihood Association (UMLA) of Buguias, which has secured approval for its processing center and is seeking grants to purchase equipment.
UMLA currently uses BSU’s laboratory-scale vacuum fryer donated by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), producing 3,000 packs of 30-gram chips in two weeks. They sell it at PHP135 to PHP150 each.
The Bauko Organic Practitioners Cooperative (BOPC), equipped with a Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Shared Service Facility capable of processing 10 kilograms per batch, sells its 30-gram packs at PHP90 wholesale and PHP110 retail.
The chips are made from carrots, French beans, broccoli (with stalk) and cabbage.
“In terms of acceptance of quality, those who have tasted it, gave a score of 7-8 but back out from buying due to the price,” the professor said.
Limited production also constrains market reach, despite support from BSU and Benguet officials who help promote the product as gifts outside the province.
Somayden emphasized the need for more processors.
“The university cannot engage in processing… We hope that others will be interested as we are also interested to have them use the technology for free,” she said.
BSU president Dr. Kenneth Laruan said the university will again request larger-capacity equipment from the DTI, noting the Department of Agriculture-Cordillera Autonomous Region (DA-CAR’s) support through BSU’s management of the Benguet Agri-Pinoy Trading Center. **Liza Agoot
