AGGIE TRENDS

DA to conduct study on malunggay for food export
Jason Santos

The Department of Agriculture will conduct a comprehensive study on the impact of the lowly malunggay to reduce malnutrition and increase incomes of farmers who would cultivate the hardy tree and supply local and foreign corporations with natural ingredients that have significant cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications.

Malunggay, known in England as moringa and in India as sajina, has been found by biochemists and molecular anthropologists as rich in vitamin C, vitamin A, iron and high density lipoprotein (HDL) otherwise known in medical literature as good cholesterol, according to director Alicia Ilaga of the DA Biotechnology Program Office, which monitors all projects related to the development of agricultural biotechnology products.

Ilaga said a scientific study of malunggay would spark interest in the tree, which could potentially supply a variety of substances needed by food processors, pharmaceutical industries and even corporations engaged in the manufacture of cosmetics.

This early, Ilaga explained, DA is encouraging experts from the Department of Health, the National Nutrition Council, the Bureau of Plant Industry, the National Anti Poverty Commission, Food and Nutrition Research Institute, Nutrition Center of the Philippines and Secura Philippines, Inc, a local biotech firm, to collaborate in pushing the wider cultivation and processing of malunggay.

According to Secretary Domingo F. Panganiban, NAPC chief, the cultivation of malunggay can be undertaken in the 10 poorest provinces of the country along with many communities in the National Capital Region since the tree can survive in hostile terrain and needs practically little attention.
Panganiban is at the forefront of the drive to reduce the poverty level of 800,000 families nationwide that government regards as the poorest of the poor and has batted for a cocktail of measures to reduce urban and rural misery.

The NCP has proposed a study on the efficacy of malunggay leaf powder and malunggay oil as additives to the diet in order to reduce the traditionally high micronutrient deficiency among Filipinos, young and old alike.

Ilaga said NCP is setting its sights on fortifying different types of food using the vitamin A, iron and high-density lipoprotein or good cholesterol that are found in liberal quantities in malunggay.
She added the study is anchored at producing a science-based research that will guide government health policies on malunggay as fortifiant, which complements the DA’s objective of opening up the market for malunggay growers and boost industry formation.

Ilaga said the leaves, seeds and even flowers of malunggay for a number of byproducts and added that manufacturers of instant noodles are now using substances found in malunggay to fortify their products.

She stressed malunggay will not ony fight malnutrition but also generate jobs to millions of Filipinos, from planting to processing and distribution of planting materials for commercial production.

Under the law, rice, salt, flour and other commodities are required to be fortified with iron after government found out that many Filipinos are critically deficient in iron.

According to Ilaga, one of the components of the proposed study is the comparison of malunggay oil to other essential oils.

Ilaga said they are eyeing the support of legislators for funding the project, while Secura Philippines, Inc. a local biotech firm which is now offering contract to grow malunggay will donate materials, such as malunggay leaf powder for use in the study. -- biolife news service