Sibalom, Antique—With the support of funding and the vision of expanding science, technology, and innovation, the Department of Science and Technology—Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD) and the University of Antique (UA) officially inaugurated on November 29, 2023, the first food research and development laboratory in the province.
Dubbed the UA Centralized Analytical Testing Laboratory (CATL), this 28-million-peso facility was designed to give Western Visayan students, teachers, and researchers access to cutting-edge tools, technical support, and laboratory services such as complete proximate nutrient analysis, microbiological analysis, shelf-life testing, sensory evaluation, and soil and water analyses.
Dr. Enrico C. Paringit, Executive Director of DOST-PCIEERD, fully supports the project, as it is the ninth facility to be launched in 2023 as part of the council's Institution Development Program (IDP).
"PCIEERD sees the establishment of CATL as a significant step that would reduce travel time, expedite result processing, and decrease the additional costs in their laboratory testing process," said Dr. Paringit.
"The council believes that this will be a crucial stride towards sustainable development, guaranteeing the economic and environmental sustainability of Antique and beyond," Dr. Paringit added. “It would strengthen our nation's scientific and technological capacities by encouraging creativity and cooperation among experts from all sectors and fields of study," he stressed.
Project Leader Jessebel V. Gadot, feels optimistic about the noteworthy outcomes, innovations, and goods that the lab will eventually produce. She underlined that "Karan-on Project" and "Community Empowerment Through Science and Technology (CEST) Projects" will benefit from having a physical laboratory like the CATL.
"The CEST Project, with the help of DOST and UA, has successfully created five distinct Technohubs specializing in food innovations across its multiple campuses, as well as one external partner. These Technohubs are home to products based on seaweed in Caluya, fish-based products in Tibiao, rice and grain-based products in Sibalom, processed vegetables and root crops in San Remegio, and dairy products in Hamtic. Product samples from these technohubs will be sent to the laboratory for product and process standardization before being adopted by the food sector or commercialized by other stakeholders, she said.
Additionally, she also emphasized how the development of the lab will help strengthen the enforcement of food safety and quality laws in the region.
The UA CATL is one of the 54 facilities funded by the DOST PCIEERD IDP in the country in the last eight years.
