CFOS-IFPT’s ‘tuna jerky’ gets funding from US government

The low-salt and all-natural tuna jerky developed by the Institute of Fish Processing Technology-College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences (CFOS-IFPT) in UP Visayas, is one of the recipients of the Php12-million research grant from the U.S. government.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) virtually launched the Widening Applications of Research within the Pandemic (WARP) grants on April 27, 2021, that provide funding support to five universities in the country to help address new challenges brought about by the pandemic.

Led by its principal investigator Ms. Rose T. Mueda, a University Research Associate of CFOS-IFPT, “Launching of Tuna ‘Tapa’ (Tuna Jerky) Products: Taking on the Challenge Towards Spin-off Startup Enterprise Amidst the Pandemic” was selected to commercialize the tuna tapa products, which offer more opportunities to start-up entrepreneurs, boost the income of small-scale fishermen and farmers, and involve women in coastal communities.

The project is an offshoot of the previous USAID grant awarded to Mueda, who developed “tuna-based jerky products and low-salt dried fish using natural preservatives and flavoring from plant-based extracts” in collaboration with Herbanext Laboratories, Inc. and Thelmie’s Dried Fish.

UPV Chancellor Dr. Clement C. Camposano accepted the Certificate of Recognition on behalf of UPV as a recipient, Mueda, USAID officials, other grantees, and the project team members. (Grace N. Palmos, CFOS-IFPT, UPV)