With nine Enhanced Nutribun or e-Nutribun technology adopters in Western Visayas, the DOST Region VI continues to strengthen its aggressive information drive through its Provincial S&T Center to look for qualified potential adopters in Negros Occidental.

Recently, Quinos Café, Foodman Industries Corp., and CM & Sons Food Products, Inc. from Negros Occidental have signed the licensing agreement with DOST-Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) to commercially produce the e-Nutribun. The three firms also attended the virtual technology transfer training for the adopters of the e-Nutribun conducted by DOST-FNRI.

For 3 days, an orientation on Food Safety, 5S, and Good Manufacturing Practices was conducted to the adopters followed by a Technical Brief of e-Nutribun Squash and Carrot Variant, demonstration, and actual production of the ready-to-eat-bread.

According to World Health Organization, millions of people are suffering from different forms of malnutrition. In fact, among children, 52 million under-fives are suffering from wasting, where they have a low weight for height.

Rising to this current challenge, the DOST-FNRI reformulated the ready-to-eat bread in the 1970s into “Enhanced Nutribun” or e-Nutribun which has now more micronutrients. Unlike the wheat-based nutribun of the 1970s, the e-Nutribun is made from squash and has more micronutrients like iron and vitamin A. The texture is softer and weighs 160 to 165 grams per piece with a serving of about 504 calories, 17.8 grams of protein, 6.08 milligrams of iron, and 244 micrograms of vitamin A.

The e-Nutribun served as an answer to the call of the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Memorandum Circular No. 12 Series of 2020, or the Guidelines in the Implementation of the Supplementary Feeding Program During Community Quarantine or Other Similar Emergencies.

The nationwide roll-out of Enhanced Nutribun also aims to provide livelihood opportunities to bakery workers, farmers as sources of raw materials like squash, and other related suppliers and service providers. Enhance Nutribun is ideal for children feeding programs and suitable for relief packs during calamities and emergencies. It can also be a better option for snacks for health-conscious individuals. This vitamin-packed bread is now available in two variants – squash and carrot.

DOST encourages its existing and prospective partners to once again support this initiative to help ease the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis on the nutritional well-being of our future generation. (JJMoleno/SSalazar/DOST VI-KMU)