NO kidding: goat milk may soon become a familiar fare among kids as is
cow’s milk.
With the country's first local producer of goat milk in powder form from locally-bred herds taking off, this could be a reality sooner than expected.
Skysoft Incorporated inaugurated its goat m ilk processing
plant in Sta. Rita Homes, Paranaque, Metro Manila on February 11, 2013, at
10:00 AM with DOST Secretary Mario G. Montejo as guest. It will be the
country’s first-ever producer of powdered goat milk from goats bred and raised at
Skysoft’s Boergoat Club Farm in Lingayen, Pangasinan.
With ITDI (Industrial Technology Development Institute) –
DOST (Department of Science and Technology) technical assistance, Skysoft was
able to establish its integrated milk processing facility. It all started when
the company sought the assistance of DOST to develop a more stable product from
fresh goat milk that has short shelf life. Using the ITDI-designed spray dryer,
a more acceptable goat milk product in powder form that is still stable even
after being stored for several months was developed by the ITDI technical team
of food technologists and engineers.
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| Science and Technology Sec. Mario Montejo visits the Skysoft factory in Parañaque. Photo courtesy of DOST. |
Encouraged with the potential of the product
both in the local and international markets, Skysoft decided to establish its
own milk processing facility in Parañaque.
After having standardized the process for goat’s milk
production, the developed product underwent storage studies and subjected to
physico-chemical, microbiological, and sensory analyses. Skysoft’s powdered
goat milk performed well and found comparable with existing imported brands in
the market. Samples were still acceptable in terms of color and taste even
after six months of storage. And lately, the products proved to be still good
after one and a half years.
With these encouraging results, local powdered goat milk
may soon find its own niche in supermarket shelves and the Filipino diet.
[Written by VB Conoza, 11 February 2013]