Not long ago, a hundred military personnel members normally assigned and engaged in combat or field operations were assembled at Fort Bonifacio in Makati to evaluate the canned rice (CR) and canned rice meal pork sausage (CRM) developed by UP Diliman scientist Dr. Maria Patricia V. Azanza.
The soldier-respondents were asked to answer questions on the appropriateness, and adequacy of serving size.
The verdict of more than 90 percent of the respondents: The prototypes CR and CRM were appropriate to be included in military food ration.
Half of the respondents preferred meat-based viand such as beef jerky (tapa), nitrite-cured meat (tocino), eggs , and adobo.
The majority said that 40 grams serving size was enough but size and net weight could be reduced so that these could easily be carried around, noted Dr. Azanza, as reported by Likha Cuevas of the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Agricultural Research (DA-BAR).
To make the CR and CRM more convenient for soldiers, the products could use the easy-open, pull-top cans so that the soldiers need not bring can openers with them all the time.
Dr. Azanza, a scientist at the UP College of Home Economics-Department of Food Science and Nutrition, recommended inclusion of the viands suggested by the respondents in further studies and the need for performance testing in actual military operations in areas of assignment.
The ready-to-eat meals were developed in view of the inconvenience of soldiers lugging around raw rice and cooking facilities during field operations.
The primary carbohydrates sources of Filipino troops in field combat are baked products, which are not as satisfying as cooked rice.
In the research, Dr. Azanza used milled PSB Rc66 variety developed by the DA-Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice). – Rudy A. Fernandez