Farming entrepreneurs and food-science experts are now pilot-testing yacon production through the Nueva Vizcaya State University’s (NVSU) Technology Business Incubator (TBI). Because yacon is rich in phytochemical which fights cancer, producers believe in the export potential of the tuber.
“We will have a good commercial potential for yacon products if we emphasize its health components because of phytochemicals. Many studies have already been conducted proving this,” said Dr. Perlita C. Tiburcio, NVSU vice president and food science specialist.
The commercial production of yacon will involve the processing of 100 kilos of the tuber, from a limited 10-kilo scale.
“This volume will make commercial scale production more realistic than laboratory stage. It will be evaluated for ROI [return on investment],” said Tiburcio in a statement.
The NVSU is funding a pilot yacon production while the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) has a separate research for yacon processing that will also use the Commission on Higher Education-funded P1.2 million TBI facility.
Experts are also eyeing the use of organic farming methods to propagate the tuber since the Japanese market is partial to organic food.
NVSU has already completed product development for yacon, and several products have already turned out to be a product-testing success. After trying on different variants for the juice, it has come up with a delicious pineapple-yacon juice. It has also developed yacon pickles and preserves along with wine and tea.
Tiburcio said that aside from regulating blood sugar, yacon is also known for preventing colon cancer. She explained that the source of the sweetness of yacon is healthful since it comes from inulin rather than from glucose.
Inulins belong to a class of fiber called fructans, used as a storage for energy by some plants through the roots or rhizomes.
Yacon’s other known health benefits due to its oligofructans and phenolic contents are skin rejuvenation, reduction of blood triglyceride level, and alleviation of hyperglycemia, kidney problems, and osteoporosis.
Japan already imports raw yacon from the Philippines as a succulent ready-to-eat product like raw singkamas, jicama or Mexican turnip that the Japanese include in their salad.
Currently, a contractor ships raw yacon from a 50-hectare land in Claveria, Cagayan to Japan.
Yacon-based wine was introduced by Filipino overseas workers who go back to Japan.
NVSU’s pilot production will involve physico-chemical and nutritional evaluation of yacon products. It will determine the presence of the healthful phytochemicals before and after processing.
BAR noted that yacon farming can be attractive to farmers. While sweet potato or camote may just be priced at P8 per kilo at farm gate, yacon’s price can peak to as high as P80 to P100 per kilo during off season.
The NVSU said it will continue to develop other recipes for yacon even as its earlier products have already been found to be palatable to trial tasters.
(Jennifer Ng, Jonathan Mayuga)
