Northern Samar develops ready-to-eat ‘champorado’

TACLOBAN CITY—The provincial government of Northern Samar is developing a coconut-based, ready-to-eat “champorado” (chocolate rice porridge) that could provide a convenient food option for families affected by typhoons, floods and other disasters that disrupt transportation, electricity and access to cooking facilities.

Since the province is frequently exposed to tropical cyclones, flooding and other natural hazards that can disrupt food supply chains and leave affected communities struggling to obtain safe and nutritious meals, local officials said the initiative is particularly relevant to Northern Samar.

The provincial government, through its Provincial Economic Development and Investment Promotion Office, partnered with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Eastern Visayas Food Innovation Center (EVFIC) for the second phase of the Ready-to-Eat Champorado project held from Oct. 12 to Oct. 16, at the Shared Service Facility in San Roque town.

According to the provincial government, the activity focused on pilot production and thermal processing tests to determine the conditions needed to produce a safe, shelf-stable food product that can be conveniently prepared and consumed during emergencies.

Additional markets

The proposed product uses coconut and other locally available ingredients to develop an alternative to conventional instant meals like noodles, particularly for families in evacuation centers or communities where access to cooking equipment and supplies is limited.

Aside from supporting disaster preparedness, the project aims to create additional markets for local agricultural products and provide livelihood opportunities for farmers, food processors and community-based enterprises.

The initiative also seeks to strengthen the capabilities of the San Roque Community Coco-based Producers Association in food processing and product development.

During the five-day activity, technical experts conducted a heat distribution test to assess how heat spreads inside the water retort equipment and a heat penetration test to determine how effectively heat reaches the product during processing.

The results will help establish appropriate processing conditions to ensure the product’s safety, quality and stability. Its launch will follow the completion of nutritional analysis to determine its nutritional composition and support further product development and market preparation.

According to the DOST Provincial Science and Technology Office in Northern Samar, headed by officer in charge and Provincial Science and Technology Director Lucia Dauz, it provided technical support for the project. The DOST Regional Standards and Testing Laboratory also contributed to the testing requirements.

Meanwhile, EVFIC provided expertise in food innovation and processing. INQ