Sugar from nipa sap seen as healthier alternative

MANILA, Philippines - The Industrial Technology Development Institute (ITDI) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has headed the production of nipa sap sugar, deemed more healthful than its synthetic counterpart.

Food researchers from ITDI started in 2010 the development of the technology for the production of nipa sap sugar and it has since led to its local production.

The nipa sugar is ideal for diabetics, overweight and health-conscious individuals.

ITDI's Food Processing Division, however, saw the need to improve the current process in producing the sugar.

"We introduced some innovations to standardize the process and be able to produce sugar of better quality at a competitive cost,” said Elsa Falco, the product development lead.

The team introduced the use of flexible pouches or sterile plastics to collect the sap.

“This is a simple collection system that can be easily adopted by the mangangarit or mananguete (tuba colletor),” says engineer Melchor Valdecañas, officer-in-charge of the office of the deputy director.

He added that the method also minimizes the exposure of the sap to air and contaminants and allows for the hygienic collection of sap.

The second innovation, meanwhile, was the use of processing equipment in cooking the sugar.

The new product is seen to generate job opportunities and additional income especially to communities where nipas thrive.