Food Research Development Center

FRDC Presentation for the Regional Innovator’s Summit

The Food Research and Development Center of Central Mindanao University was established in 2016 in partnership with the Department of Science and Technology Region 10 with the approval of the CMU Board of Regents per BOR Resolution No. 40, s. 2016.

The center envisions in becoming a premier research center for food science, technology, innovation, and capacity development. 

To achieve its vision, FRDC will live by its mission to generate food technologies and provide services that will ensure food and nutrition security among people through relevant, sustainable, and consumer-focused research and development.

The center aims:

• To carry out research, development, and commercialization of innovative food products through utilization of local food materials;

• provide technical information, training, extension, and consultancy services to the micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) food processing cluster, the private sector, and other stakeholders in the food industry;

• establish, maintain and provide innovative technical services laboratory for the physico-chemical, microbiological safety, and sensory analyses as well as packaging and shelf-life determination of food products; and

• promote cooperation, networking, partnerships, and synergistic interactions among international food scientists and research institutions.

The Food Research and Development Center is initially operating and implementing different food-related researches and acquired various laboratory and food processing equipment through research grants availed from different funding agencies such as the Department of Science and Technology and the Commission on Higher Education Institutional Development and Innovation Grant.  The center was also able to develop different food products from underutilized raw materials through the research grants and some of these products are now ready for commercialization and technology transfer.

The center also offers different services such as product and process development, laboratory testing, training, mentoring and consultancy services.

FRDC Types and Costs of Services

1. Use of Equipment and Facilities

Laboratory Equipment	Charge/Fee (PHP)			Remarks*
	CMU Student	CMU Researchers and Incubatees	Non-CMU Clients
1. Analytical Balance	72.00/hr	144.00/hr	216.00/hr
2. Autoclave	150/hr	180.00/hr	195.00/hr
3. Automatic Kjeldahl Unit Analyser	1,517.00/day	1,734.00/day	1,951.00/day	Excluding reagents and other consumables
4. Benchtop pH meter	50.00/hr	101.00/hr	151.00/hr
5. Fat Extractor (Sohxlet)	1,177.00/day	1,346.00/day	1,514.00/day	Excluding reagents and other consumables
6. Crude Fiber Analyzer	1,875.00/day	2,143.00/day	2,411.00/day	Excluding reagents and other consumables
7. Hot Plate w/ Magnetic Stirrer	15.00/hr	30.00/hr	46.00/hr
8. Incubator	101.00/hr	202.00/hr	303.00/hr
9. Laminar Flow	86.00/hr	172.00/hr	258.00/hr
10. Large Muffle Furnace	508.00/day	581.00/day	653.00/day
11. Moisture analyzer	53.00/hr	106.00/hr	160.00/hr
12. pH meter	40.00/hr	48.00/hr	52.00/hr
13. Refractometer	40.00/hr	48.00/hr	52.00/hr
14. Trinocular Microscope	66.00/hr	133.00/hr	199.00/hr
15. Top Loading Balance	20.00/hr	40.00/hr	60.00/hr
16. UV Water Purification System	600.00/day	688.00/day	774.00/day
17. Water bath with shaker	305.00/day	348.00/day	392.00/day

*Equipment rental per hour is at a minimum of one hour per use and more than four (4) hours of use is equivalent to a day of the rental fee.

Food Processing Equipment	Charge/Fee (PhP)			Remarks*
	CMU Students	CMU Researchers and Incubatees	Clienteles from Outside CMU
1.     Cabinet steamer	51.00/hr	102.00/hr	153.00/hr
2. Cold extrusion machine	58.00/hr	115.00/hr	172.00/hr
3. Continuous band sealing machine	50.00/hr	100.00/hr	150.00/hr	Excluding roll of plastic packaging material
4. Convection Cabinet Drier	430.00/day	491.00/day	553.00/day
5. Freezer	44.00/day	50.00/day	56.00/day
6. Food Processor	20.00/hr	41.00/hr	61.00/hr
7. Foot Operated Impulse Sealer	12.00/hr	24.00/hr	36.00/hr	Excluding roll of plastic packaging material
8. Heavy-duty mixer	34.00/hr	68.00/hr	102.00/hr

9. Flour milling machine	53.00/hr	106.00/hr	159.00/hr
10. Osterizer/Commercial Food Blender	15.00/hr	31.00/hr	46.00/hr
11. Refrigerator/Chiller	40.00/day	46.00/day	52.00/day
12. Semi-automatic Can Seamer	51.00/hr	103.00/hr	154.00/hr	Excluding cans
13. Spray Dryer	272.00/hr	545.00/hr	817.00/hr	Excluding carrier
14. Vacuum fryer	806.00/day	922.00/day	1,037.00/day	Excluding cooking oil
15. Vacuum Packaging Machine	49.00/hr	98.00/hr	147.00/hr	Excluding vacuum packaging material
16. Vibro Sifter	33.00/hr	66.00/hr	100/hr
17. Wine capping machine	43.00/hr	86.00/hr	130.00/hr	Excluding bottles and caps
18. Water retort machine	612.00/day	699.00/day	787.00/day	Excluding jars, retortable pouches, and other packaging materials

*Equipment rental per hour is at a minimum of one hour per use and more than four (4) hours of use is equivalent to a day of the rental fee. Rates are subject to change with prior notice

The use of the FRDC production facility will have a corresponding fee of one thousand pesos per day (P 1,000/day) which must be reserved a week before use on a first-come-first-serve basis by accomplishing the Food Production Facility Reservation Form (Appendix F).

 2. Services

a. Product and Process Development

The FRDC will facilitate the development of new products. Standards for ingredients/ components and processing specifications will be established. The cost of ingredients, equipment usage, and other materials needed are to be shouldered by the client including the researchers’ honorarium of Php 6,000 (for a three-month coverage period). The researchers’ honorarium will be divided accordingly among the researchers (Php 3,000 for the faculty and Php 1,000 each for the three students who will assist in the development of the product).

 b. Laboratory Testing

The FRDC laboratory facilities will provide technical support to test and analyze food products per requirements for nutrition labeling, shelf life, physico-chemical, microbiological, and other related product characteristics. The following are the available laboratory analyses at FRDC. The cost will depend on the type of analysis to be conducted and students and incubatees will have a 20% discount on all laboratory fees.

Available Laboratory Analyses

Laboratory analysis	Method/Equipment	Sample requirement	Duration of analysis	Laboratory Fee* (PHP)
Physico-chemical Analyses
1.   pH	Benchtop/Portable pH meter (glass electrode)	At least 250 g/L of sample	1     –     3 working days	350
1.   Total              Soluble Solids (oBrix)	Refractometer		1     –     3 working days	350
2.   Titratable Acidity (liquids)	Titration method		1     –     3 working days	560
3.   Alcohol Content	Alcoholmeter (hydrometer)	At least 1-liter sample	1-3 working days	350
Proximate Analyses
1.  Moisture content	Moisture analyzer (Infrared/UV)	At least 250 g of sample	3-4 weeks	400
2. Ash content	Large Muffle Furnace			550
3. Crude fat	Fat Extractor (Soxhlet)			960
4.    Crude protein	Automatic Kjeldahl Analyzer			1,000
5.    Crude fiber	Automatic Fiber Analyzer			1,380
Nutrition Facts Analysis
Nutritional        Facts Computation (computation only)	Gravimetric	At least 250 g of sample	3-4 weeks	1,500
Nutrition Facts Analysis with Computation (with reports of chemical analysis for the following parameters: moisture, total fat, protein, ash, and sodium)	Gravimetric			6,570
Sensory Evaluation (Samples from the unopened original retail package)
Sensory Evaluation	Semi-trained Panelists	At least 500 g sample		500
Microbiological analyses (Minimum sample required is six (6) packs of the unopened original retail package, with a total weight of not less than 250 g or mL)
1. Total Aerobic Plate Count (cfu/g or mL)	Pour Plate	At least 250 g sample	5    –    10 working days	550
2. Total             Coliform Count (MPN/g or mL)	Multiple Tube Fermentation Technique			550

3. E.     coli    count (MPN/g or mL)	Multiple Tube Fermentation Technique			1,000
4. Yeast and Mold count (cfu/g or mL)	Pour Plate			550
Food Shelf-life Evaluation fee will depend on the type of food deterioration. Physical, chemical, and microbiological parameters will be selected after the type of food deterioration has been identified through Preliminary Evaluation.

*Laboratory Fees are determined subject to change with prior notice; Includes three replicates per sample (except for sensory evaluation).

c. Technology Hub

The FRDC will showcase available and technologically competitive food processing facilities and will make this available for use to local MSMEs and other clienteles. The FRDC will also provide consultancy/ mentoring on the use/ application of these technologies to produce innovative and commercially sustainable food products. Seminars and training on food processing and other food-related topics will also be facilitated by the center. The assigned faculty/researcher will receive a consultation fee or speakership honorarium of three thousand pesos per month (P 3,000.00 per month for a maximum of two consultations per month or a maximum of a two-hour speakership) which must be paid by the client at the cashier’s office after the signing of the agreement. Additional costs which will depend on the type of technology or service requested will also be shouldered by the client.