Vegetarian noodles

Newly developed veggie noodles highly nutritiveJimmy Laking
Health, 4/20/2008

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Vegetable noodles soon to be processed on a commercial scale by the state-owned Benguet State University are rich in Vitamin A, iron, and protein and were developed from temperate crops with known nutritive values.

“It is probably for this reason alone that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo decided it should be marketed and made available nationwide,” said Dr. Rogelio Colting, president of BSU.

The highly nutritive noodles were developed by a team headed by Dr. Violeta B. Salda, who took up previous studies on noodle production in Hong Kong.

To make the pro-duct available nationwide through the “Tindahan ni Gloria,” President Arroyo has awarded BSU on March 22, a P10-million funding for the purchase of equipment and the putting up of a building needed for a processing center.

Colting said the processing center will process different kinds of vegetable based products like pasta, noodles, meat, puree, soup, and powder.

He said vegetables will be sourced from local farmers, ensuring an alternative and steady market for their products.

“In a way, the center will help to stabilize veggie prices because the center will be buying their pro-ducts the whole year-round,” he said.

He said the pro-ducts are unique in that these are guaranteed to be developed from vegetables with high nutrient contents. “It would be ideal to family needs.”

He said that the funding provided by GMA would enable the university to perfect the technology in the production of noodles and other vegetable products.

He said the production center is equivalent to an assembly line for fresh noodles using fresh vegetable products.

“We will start first on a pilot scale then increase production as we acquire the necessary equipment,” Colting said.