DOST develops healthy ice cream

MANILA, Philippines - Guilt-free ice cream, anyone?

Food experts from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) have come up with a low-fat, low-sugar ice cream formulation, which is now being produced by an ice cream company in Plaridel, Bulacan.

Developed by Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) researchers Ma. Elena Fernandez, Wenefrida Lainez and Dahlia Diaz, the healthy ice cream still has the goodness and creaminess of the regular ice cream in the market.

A cup of healthy ice cream at 100 grams contains only 0.46 grams of fat whereas other commercial brands have about 10.9 grams. It also makes use of both ordinary and substitute sugar as sweetener at less than 0.1 gram per serving.

The FNRI formulation is priced much lower than the competition as it requires only P1 million in capital investment, including blast freezers used for quick freezing of food items.

Dairyman Ice Cream, a local food manufacturer based in Plaridel, has adopted the DOST-developed technology and manufacturing process.

The company now sells the ice cream in vanilla, ube, chocolate and buko pandan flavors in selected outlets in the provinces and Metro Manila.