Veggie ice cream anyone?

Two women relish “veggie ice cream bars” produced by a cooperative in the Science City of Muñoz. —ANSELMO ROQUE

SCIENCE CITY OF MUÑOZ—To beat the summer heat, Nueva Ecija residents have been splurging on ice cream bars made of carabao milk and with a full range of flavors from “malunggay” (moringa), “kalabasa” (squash) to “ampalaya” (bitter melon).

The newly introduced “veggie ice cream bar” was designed for people who wanted to be refreshed and at the same time get a nutritious treat, said Margerie Villoso, plant manager of Catalanacan Multi-Purpose Cooperative (CAMPC) here.

It was developed in 2016 and was submitted for evaluation by the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) here. CAMPC began producing the ice cream bars in 2017.

CAMPC is one of 53 dairy cooperatives in the province entrusted to take care of purebred dairy carabaos.

Based at Barangay Catalanacan, the cooperatives buy the milk produced by their members that are processed into different milk-based products.

The food chemistry division of the Philippine Rice Research Institute helped determine the right mix of the ice cream bars, said Arturo de Gracia, CAMPC chair.

The P20 bars are available at Dairy Box, CAMPC’s products outlet near Milka Krem processing plant of the PCC on Maharlika Highway.

The concept of vegetable ice cream bars was developed by De Gracia’s predecessor, Leoncio Callo.

In March, the outlet grossed P14,835 from the bars.

Demand was expected to increase in May, the hottest month of the year in the province, Villoso said, adding that the malunggay bar was the best seller.