Healthy rice meals in-a-box for busy Pinoys

Posted at 6:09 pm October 14, 2011

Tags: Food Products, Healthy Food and Drinks

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By Anna Valmero

TAGUIG CITY, METRO MANILA – The Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) has found a way to include iron-fortified rice in a new line of healthy and preservative-free boxed rice meals.

The Quikeats Instant Rice Meals aims to give Filipinos on-the-go a “healthier option” when looking for portable and easy to prepare meals using the dehydrated iron-fortified rice technology of FNRI, a sub-agency under the Department of Science and Technology.

FNRI developed the iron-fortified rice technology to address iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in the country. According to a 2008 survey of FNRI, four in ten Filipinos suffer from IDA while three in ten 10 pregnant and lactating women have IDA.

The same survey showed that IDA also affects two in ten children who are aged six months to 12-year-olds. Meanwhile, one out of ten Filipino teens aged 13- to 19-year-old are also affected by IDA.

Adding iron into rice is “a strategic nutrition intervention to address IDA” because rice is the staple food of most Filipinos, said Dr. Mario V. Capanzana, FNRI director.

Sporting slim and light-weight biodegradable boxes, the Quikeats Instant Meals are prepared by adding hot water to rehydrate and warm the ingredients. After ten minutes, the ingredients are mixed with the rehydrated iron-fortified rice.

Quikeats initially offers pork adobo flavor and before the year ends, it would add Pinoy beef steak and seafood superb variants, said Noel Lim, sales staff Five N and I Food Corp. that manufactures the product.

Instant Rice Meal Pork Adobo comes in a 75-gram single serving size box which packs 210 calories of energy, only 1.5 grams of total fat, 46 grams of total carbohydrates, 5 grams of total protein, 520 milligrams of sodium, said Capanzana.

It also packs 6 micrograms retinol equivalent (RE) of vitamin A or one percent of the recommended energy and nutrient intakes (RENI) for vitamin A, and 2 mg of iron, or 20 percent of the RENI for iron of a person 19 years old and above.

Aside from dehydrated iron-fortified rice, Instant Rice Meal Pork Adobo contains dehydrated meat, wheat protein, choice spices and condiments, modified starch, and vegetable oil.

The same nutrients are packed in the Instant Rice Meal Pinoy Beef Steak and Instant Rice Meal Seafood Superb.

Quikeats Instant Rice Meals are initially available in supermarkets around Metro Manila. Suggested introductory retail price is P35.50.

Interested buyers or distributors may contact Noel Lim at (02) 355-7237 and 542-1335, telefax (02) 936-2588 or email fnifoodcorp@gamil.com.

(Photo from DOST FNRI)