A BS Chemical Engineering student is the School of Technology’s topmost graduate. Jeraldine D. Calangi ended her college years in UP as magna cum laude with a GWA of 1.376.
As a chemical engineering graduate Calangi said that there is a need to improve food production that will address the issue of food security for our people.
“The rapid increase in the country’s population, inevitable climate change, abundant food wastes, pervasive agricultural land conversion, and destructive human activities are just some of the factors that lead to an alarming food insecurity problems in our country,” she pointed out.
To address this issue and improve food production, she said that it is best to maximize the use of research and technology that are already developed that could further help the producers, especially the farmers.
“We need to help our farmers, who are the main cultivator of resources in the Philippines, in areas such as: improvement of crops, development of non-chemical approaches to crop protection, efficient use of water and irrigation technologies, and development of soil fertility,” she explained
As for the industry, Calangi said that there is also need to improve the nutritional value of products which can be achieved through innovations in food processing.
“Research on extending the shelf life of food, enhancement on the packaging, and development on new sterilization techniques can also be of great help. There are studies that show that the agricultural and food industry wastes can still be transformed to edible foods or food ingredients. This can also be a good help,” she noted. She also said that we can all help in the issue of food security by minimizing food wastes and creating awareness on the importance of agricultural sector.
On the issue of improving the quality of our processed food to make them truly healthy for consumption, Calangi has this to say: “Processed foods are generally known as those that are processed chemically and have used artificial substances. For the food industries, finding natural alternatives for the common synthetic preservatives, colors and flavors could improve the nutritional value of the processed food. Studies are also needed to find ways in reducing salt, fat, and sugar added during manufacture, but, at the same time, must not affect the organoleptic properties of the products.”
It appears that the new Chemical Engineering graduate is ready to take on the issues and challenges of the food industry.
