Department of Science and Technology – Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI) launched the Enhanced Nutribun (E-Nutribun) during the 2020 Nutrition Month of this year, last July. E-Nutribun is an improved version of the nutribun in the 1970’s.
Since then, many technology adopters requested assistance from DOST-FNRI for the technology transfer of the E-Nutribun in the hopes of helping their communities through providing the healthier, more nutritious, and even softer version of the nutribun. According to Secretary Fortunato dela Peña of DOST, the enhanced version of the nutribun consists of bread flour, squash puree, sugar, skim milk, shortening, salt, bread improver and yeast. It has improved in texture and is a more or less 500 kilocalories (making it energy dense) added with vitamin A and iron. The e-nutribun with all its nutritive content makes it a healthy bread. This would help address the problem (with other interventions) on undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies.
In the region, three (3) technology adopters already started producing E-Nutribun. Official Facebook Page of DOST-FNRI posted on October 9, 2020, through Mr. Richard Alcaraz’s Facebook post, the successful products of the virtual technology transfer in the Provinces of Batanes, Nueva Vizcaya, and Quirino Province. He also shared pictures of the freshly baked E-Nutribun from their local partners. The E-Nutribun was produced by Ivatan Bakers by AJ’s Bread and Pastries in Batanes, Honey Buns Bake shop in Nueva Vizcaya, and Qlife Quirino of Quirino Province.
With this development, DOST-FNRI aims to improve the nutrition situation in the country through the E-Nutribun. This will also aid in the implementation of the Dietary Supplementation Programs of the Department of Education (DepEd) for School Children, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for Preschool Children, and other dietary supplementation programs initiated at the local level. E-Nutribun also aids the continuous implementation of these programs amid the pandemic, following minimum standard health protocols. This will also provide livelihood opportunities to bakery workers, farmers, and other related suppliers and service providers.
According to Sec. dela Peña, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) issued Memo Circular No. 12 Series of 2020 – Guidelines in the Implementation of the Supplementary Feeding Program during community quarantine or other similar emergencies and the Department of Health, through the National Nutrition Council (Official), issued Nutrition Cluster Advisory No. 2 Series of 2020, regarding Nutrition Cluster recommendation on healthy and nutritious family food packs and sustainable food source, motivated the conduct of the enhancement and production of the nutribun.
As COVID-19 pandemic threatens the implementation of various health and nutrition programs, thus may negatively affect the nutrition status of the vulnerable groups including children, innovations and adaptions such as the E-nutribun is imperative to lessen or prevent the negative effects of the pandemic to the vulnerable sectors. -EMArcinue
