Research intership at the Institute of Food Science and Technology University of the Philippines Los Baños on the feasibility of freeze-drying agricultural commodities

Date

2025

Adviser

Job Jonas C. Ruzgal

Principal

Mabel S. Buela

Abstract

Freeze-drying is a food processing technique increasingly recognized for its ability to preserve the nutritional quality and shelf life of agricultural commodities. These characteristics of freeze-dried products make them a potential solution for emergency food packs distributed in evacuation centers. The proponents conducted a research internship at the Institute of Food Science and Technology, UPLB to assess the technical feasibility of producing freeze-dried coconut milk, calamansi juice, and pineapple flesh. The research internship equipped the proponents with the knowledge and skills necessary for conducting freeze-drying research. The protocols established during the internship were used to determine the factors that may affect the freeze-drying procedure across the three commodities. The proponents actively participated in conducting laboratory tests (i.e. proximate analyses, microanalysis, and accelerated shelf life testing) to evaluate the quality of freeze-dried commodities. Secondary data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) were used to analyze the production volume and consumption pattern of the three agricultural commodities. This determines whether freeze-dried products are viable for mass production across Region IV-A. The research findings indicate that the pretreatment, freezing and drying time, and texture of the raw material were variables that may affect the quality of the freeze-dried products. These variables may be optimized to determine the most cost-efficient protocol that will produce high-quality freeze-dried products. Moreover, data shows that there is a consistent level of production of the three agricultural commodities in the region. These findings support that it is feasible to produce freeze-dried coconut milk, calamansi juice and pineapple from Region IV-A. However, the high cost of freeze-drying remains a key barrier to widespread, cost-free distribution in evacuation centers. Ultimately, the study argues that while freeze-drying is a technically viable method for preserving local produce for disaster response, its potential will only be fully realized if the cost barriers are addressed.

Language

English

Location

UP Rural High School

Notes

To access this capstone, please contact the UP Rural High School Library at uprhslibrary.uplb@up.edu.ph. You may also visit the library in person, provided you secure prior confirmation from the librarian. We will be happy to assist you.

Document Type

Capstone

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