Comes with four variants suitable for dietary needs.
The Industrial Technology Development Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-ITDI) is launching four new variants of its Ready-to-Drink (RTD) native chocolate product line.
Developed by the Institute’s Food Processing Division (FPD), these shelf-stable drinks introduced during a product press launch on 22 February 2024 in Bicutan, Taguig.
“The idea is to enjoy the higher concentration of health restoring and consciousness-altering compounds found in ceremonial-grade products, like what we have developed, that generates a particularly open heart-warming sensation in the body,” said by ITDI Director Dr. Annabelle V. Briones. “So this heart-warming or heart-opening sensation brings about the uniquely responsive, peaceful, open, living, and physical and mental states that cacao ceremonies revolves around,” she explained.
The four variants are developed from the Philippine tablea (pronounced as tableya) or tablea de batirol, sikwate or tablea-eh, a native Filipino tsokolate drink traditionally prepared in a pot over medium fire and stirred using a batirol to produce a frothy drink. (A batirol is a wooden tool used to mix the drink before serving to prevent bits of tablea from sinking to the bottom of the pot.)
These are made from three basic ingredients: pure, finely ground cacao beans that is molded into a ball called tablea, water, and sugar. The use of pure tablea gives the drink a rich, dark, and bitter chocolate flavor.
The following are the different variants formulated to address specific consumer needs:
- Dairy-Based – a chocolate drink for people who wants to enjoy the full benefits of whole milk;
- Lactose-Free – formulated for lactose intolerant people;
- Vegan – provides the consumers the relaxation of drinking a chocolate beverage using plant-based milk; and
- Vegan/Sugar-free – ideal for sugar-sensitive (diabetic) consumers and people who are restricting their carbohydrate intake. (FPD-ITDI\\ ITDI S&T Media Service)
