The Food Innovation Center (FIC) of MMSU has received eight industry-grade, state-of-the art equipment worth P4.6 million from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) for its food processing activities.

The equipment — three walk-in freezers, two blast freezers, and three chest freezers – were bought by the DTI through the Philippine International Trading Corporation, the procuring entity of the agency.

Mr. Perry B. Agbayani, DTI’s Senior Trade and Industry Development Specialist said the equipment were given to MMSU through its joint partnership agreement with the university. The partnership aims to train small-scale businesses in the province to produce quality food products.

Agbayani said that through this equipment, “we hope to help transform the agriculture-based province of Ilocos Norte into a food processing haven by improving the region’s local food products to reach local and national markets.”

Aside from its role in food technology innovations, the FIC will serve as venue for food testing, training, consultancy services, and packaging and labeling of food products.

The FIC at MMSU forms a part of the hub of food innovations in the country that were implemented in 2013 by DOST Secretary Mario Montejo. It is a recipient of the P2.3 million budget for the whole cluster of FICs in Region 1.

DTI Provincial Director Benjamin Garcia, Jr. said the delivery of the equipment for the FIC is in line with the shared service facility project of the agency so that small business entrepreneurs can come to MMSU to process their products for a minimal fee.

Through the FIC, innovative technologies, relevant support services, technical expertise, and necessary structures and facilities will be more accessible for small-scale enterprises in the province and in Region 1. This is expected to result in a more effective technology application, transfer and commercialization of new food technologies for sustained economic growth and productivity.

The facilities at FIC help enhance the innovative capacities of small-scale enterprises in the food industry to improve the quality of their exisiting products or to develop new ones, thus, increasing their chance to penetrate other local and global markets. (By Reynaldo E. Andres)