MMSU Science and Technology Journal ISNN: 2012 0060

Vol. VII No. I January-June 2017

DEVELOPMENT OF MALUNGGAY-BASED PRODUCTS

FOR HEALTH AND NUTRITION PROGRAM
Lorma M. Valera* and Celerino S. Ancheta

ABSTRACT

Undernutrition remains a serious problem in the Philippines, especially

among grade school children. In its efforts to promote the value of malunggay
(Moringa oleifera L.), the research endeavored on the development of snacks with
moringa leaves as primary ingredient. The malunggay food products developed
were: ice cream, biscuit stick, otap, cookies, and cupcakes. These food products
were subjected to sensory evaluation in terms of appearance, texture, aroma, and
taste. The products were found to be generally acceptable by home economics
teachers and grade school children. Steps were undertaken to fully disseminate the
technology developed through mass media platforms, government and non-
government collaborations, skills demonstrations, a recipe book, seminars and
workshops, and posters.

Key words: food product development, malunggay food products, sensory evaluation

INTRODUCTION In its role as a research institution,

the Mariano Marcos State University
Undernutrition remains a serious problem in (MMSU) aims to seek innovations that would
the Philippines. Available data show that in help address health and nutrition concerns
the past decade, about 4 million (31.8%) of of Filipinos. This is in keeping with both the
the preschool population were found to be “traditional” role of higher education
underweight for their age (FAO, 2010). institutions as well as their “new” roles as
drivers of innovation and stakeholders in
Chronic undernutrition damages the private and private partnerships (Chatterton
health, physical growth and development of & Goddard, 2000). In its efforts to innovate
children that result in stunting in the first two and promote the value of Malunggay
years (UNICEF, 2016). The prevalence of (Moringa oleifera L.), MMSU embarked on
stunting among Filipino children below five the development of food products utilizing
years old increased from 30.3% in 2013 to moringa leaves as primary ingredient. The
33.4% in 2015 and in 2016, the Philippines end-goal was to come up with products that
ranked ninth among countries with the are affordable and highly nutritious to
highest number of stunted children (Save the supplement the nutritional needs of Filipino
Children Philippines, 2016). children.

Corresponding Author Current Address: College of Industrial

Technology, Mariano Marcos State University
Laoag City, Ilocos Norte* City

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LM Valera and CS Ancheta Development of Malunggay-based Products

Malunggay leaves are rich in The evaluation of the food products

minerals, vitamins and other essential was anchored on sensory science theory
phytochemicals (Gopalakrishnan & Deriya, (Hashmi, 2007) which gives importance to the
2016). The leaves have been found to be value of sensory science in evaluating the
rich in minerals like calcium, copper, iron, characteristics of physical matter. In this
magnesium, potassium, and zinc (Kasolo,. method, -food is uniformly prepared and
Bimenya, Ojok, Ochieng, & Ogwal-Okeng, presented to panelists who record their
2010), and loaded with vitamins such as evaluations of the product on a sensory
beta-carotene of vitamin A, vitamin B such evaluation sheet that is decoded and
as folic acid, pyridoxine and nicotinic acid, analyzed through statistical procedures.
and vitamins C, D and E (Mbikay, 2012).
Sensory evaluation (Prell, 1976), to be
METHODOLOGY objective, must be with considerable degree
of reliability and validity. For food products,
The study endeavored to produce the sensory qualities are appearance, texture,
food products from malunggay to aroma and taste. Appearance is sensed by
supplement the dietary needs of children. the eye. Texture is the mechanical stimulation
Specifically, it aimed to: prepare snacks of the sense organs represented by the
acceptable to consumers particularly grade tongue, gums and the hard and soft palate.
school children ; and, foster dissemination Aroma considers the fragrance or odor of a
and promotion of the technology to the product as perceived by the nose. Taste is
community. the perception of the stimulus through the
taste buds which are primarily located at the
The study was confined to the tongue .
utilization of the malunggay leaves as
primary ingredients in all the products The general concept advocated in this
developed. study is diagrammatically illustrated in Figure
1.
The products developed were based
on existing, commercially available food Development of the food products
products popular among school children. To was carried out in the Food Service
observe strict adherence to the established Laboratory Unit of the MMSU College of
procedures for processing, the addition of Industrial Technology, Laoag City. Malunggay
ground or pureed malunggay leaves to the leaves were collected, thoroughly washed
ingredients was the only modification made. and air dried. With the use of a blender
Thus, subjecting the products to nutrient machine, the leaves were ground finely and
analysis was not necessary. kept in sealed bags under room temperature.
This was done prior to the development of

Malunggay
Food Preferred
Products Quality Techno-
logy
Ice Cream *Appearance Accepta-
Dissemi-
Biscuit Stick *Texture bility
Otap nation
*Aroma
Cookies *Taste
Cupcakes

Figure 1. The Research Paradigm

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LM Valera and CS Ancheta Development of Malunggay-based Products

each of the product to ensure clean and safe The products developed were
materials. free of any contamination. subjected to evaluation of 25 home
Stocking of materials was not done to economics teachers who are food specialists.
prevent development of molds and other Likewise, 50 grade school children were also
undesirable microbes. For products requiring involved in the sensory evaluation to ensure
malunggay puree, the fresh leaves were acceptability of the products as they were the
processed right at the preparation process. primary target consumers . In addition, the 25
home economics teachers inorcoprated in
The standard procedures for the their teaching strategies the importance and
preparation of the products developed were relevance of malunggay and malunggay-
carefully observed. The addition of ground based products in their class activities for the
malunggay leaves among the ingredients students to appreciate and be enticed to eat
was an added procedure. At least one cup of the products. Actual cooking and preparation
ground leaves was added for every volume activities were further introduced to the
set in the standard procedure. students which in turn let their parents to
learn these malunggay-based products for
The developed food products were sustained nutritional requirements of school
subjected to evaluation by home economics kids and youth as expressed and
teachers in elementary and secondary demonstrated by the teachers after the
schools who are specialists in food. research study.
Likewise, as they are the primary target
consumers, grade school children were Based on the sensory evaluation
involved to ensure acceptability of the done, the food products developed were
products. found to be generally acceptable in terms of
appearance, texture, aroma, and taste; thus,
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION the products were deemed worthy of
promotion and adoption by the community.
The malunggay food products Steps were then undertaken to fully promote
developed were: ice cream, biscuit stick, and disseminate the technology developed.
otap, cookies, and cupcakes.
Mass media platforms. The
The malunggay ice cream is a frozen malunggay ice cream and baked products
mixture of cream, milk, sugar, and stabilizer were featured in “Pinoy Records”, a show
with pureed fresh malunggay leaves as aired by GMA Television Network and hosted
flavor. by Chris Tiu. “Shoptalk”, aired over ANC
(ABS-CBN News Channel) and hosted by Pia
The malunggay biscuit stick is a Hontiveros, carried a live interview with the
mixture of flour, milk, sugar, eggs, and researcher who discussed malunggay as a
malunggay powder formed into sticks and wonder vegetable and the developed
baked. malunggay-based snacks. These products
were also featured during the launching of the
Meanwhile, the malunggay otap is an Malunggay Republic, a movement initiated by
oval-shaped puff pastry that is flaky and dedicated men and women committed to help
brittle sprinkled with little sugar. It is made in nation building by addressing poverty,
of flour, shortening, sugar, and malunggay malnutrition, and unemployment in the
powder. country through the propagation of
malunggay. The movement was launched on
Finally, the malunggay cookie is a February 8, 2009 during the ABS-CBN
mixture of flour, milk, leavener, eggs, and DZMM Teleradyo program entitled “Sagot Ko
malunggay powder. The cookies are ‘Yan”, and at the Manila Hotel on February
prepared in various attractive shapes then 16, 2009.
baked.

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LM Valera and CS Ancheta Development of Malunggay-based Products

Government and non-government Furthermore, the DepEd-National

collaborations. The processing of Nurses Association invited the same food
malunggay-based snacks was also technology professors to discuss malunggay
promoted through the initiative of by-products to school nurses in an event held
government agencies and non-government at the Teacher’s Camp in Baguio City.
organizations. These include the
Department of Agriculture (DA) through the Moreover, the malunggay food
Agrilink-Foodlink Convention, the products were again featured in the 12th
Department of Science and Technology Annual Conference of the Philippine
(DOST), the Department of Health (DOH) Association for Home Economics in State
through the National Nutrition Council Colleges and Universities based at the
(NNC), the National Anti-Poverty University of the Philippines in Diliman,
Commission (NAPC), Secure Philippines, Quezon City.
Inc., and Malunggay Republic Movement.
Malunggay posters. The poster on
Skills demonstrations. Upon malunggay-based recipes by the MMSU CIT
learning of MMSU CIT’s malunggay Food Technology Department was chosen as
technology, the Biotechnology Media and grand winner in the Dr. Edgar F. Padilla’s
Advocacy Center of the DA invited two Best Poster Competition during the Ilocos
professors and their students to demonstrate Consortium for Industry and Energy
the preparation of malunggay recipes to Research and Development’s (ICIERD) 2nd
residents of Barangay Commonwealth in Industry and Energy Symposium held at the
Quezon City. The campaign was dubbed Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State
“Malunggay in the City”. DepEd Region III University–Mid La Union Campus in the City
also invited the MMSU Malunggay Team for of San Fernando, La Union.
a demo-cooking in Pulungbulo, Angeles City
in relation to the agency’s in-school feeding
program. CONCLUSIONS

Malunggay recipe book. A recipe Indigenous resources as alternatives

book on malunggay food products was to food production could gain wider
published and distributed by MMSU. acceptance when processed in accordance
with the preferences of the consuming public.
Malunggay seminars and The study endeavored to produce food
workshops. Indeed, malunggay has products from malunggay leaves. It was
become a “superstar” and now “the darling successful in developing ice cream, biscuit
of food nutritionists ”. Research and stick, otap, cookies, and cupcake. The
development activities have considerably sensory evaluation by home economics
broadened the horizons and prospects of teachers and grade school children found the
malunggay, once regarded as an ordinary food products developed to be generally
and lowly vegetable tree and fence plant. acceptable in terms of appearance, texture,
aroma, and taste. Proven to be worthy of
Considering the malunggay-based promotion and adoption by the community,
recipes and products as nutritious food for steps were undertaken to fully disseminate
elementary pupils, the DepEd-Health and the technology developed through mass
Nutrition Center once again invited the media platforms, government and non-
researcher as consultant in the workshop on government collaborations, skills
the development and standardization of demonstrations, a recipe book, seminars and
malunggay-based recipes for in-school workshops, and posters.
feeding, which was held at the Development
Academy of Philippines in Tagaytay City.

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LM Valera and CS Ancheta Development of Malunggay-based Products

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Food and Agriculture Organization. problem in the Philippines. https://
(2010). Nutrition country profiles: www.savethechildren.org. ph/__data/
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agn/nutritionphl_en.stm. Retrieved -Children-LahatDapat-Sizing-Up-the-
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(2016). Moringa oleifera: A review on January 21, 2018.
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Kasolo, J.N., Bimenya, G.S., Ojok, L.,

Ochieng, J., Ogwal-Okeng, J.W. .
(2010). Phytochemicals and uses of
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