Organized by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) with the theme “Philippines: A Science Nation Meeting Global Challenges: Cagayan State University – Carig Campus held the Northern Luzon Science and Technology (S&T) Fair in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan on September 2 -4, 2014.

          Curious kids at the Science Education Institute Science – Explorer experienced cool science, where they showed their mettle in the S&T Quiz for both elementary and secondary levels.

          Science aficionados, entrepreneurs, families and individuals seeking more science excitement, exhibits, technology for  trainings, and seminars were opened to the public, each one attending to the activity of his choice.

          The three day event gave the public a personal S&T experience and increase awareness on the country’s drive towards being a science nation as it raise science-oriented citizens.

          Another Food Innovation Center, the second of such facility in the country and first in Luzon was featured and launched during the first day of the Fair. Just like the first Center launched in Davao City on May 2014, the Cagayan-based Center, will serve as hub for innovations and provide technical support for the food industry, aiming to transform concepts into products.

          Other activities included in the Fair were the Information Education Communication (IEC) on technologies, sports fest and seminar-workshop on weather information for broadcasters.

          The Cagayan FIC is envisioned to help transform the agriculture-based Cagayan Valley into a food processing haven, a one-stop shop food research and development center.

          It aims to improve the region’s local food products to reach a sizeable share of the local and national markets. Locally developed food technology equipment, designed to fit the needs of the local industry are housed at the FIC.

          Among such equipment are vertical fill form seal for the packaging for meat and dried fruit products; freeze dryer for dehydrating heat sensitive food products; vacuum fryer; water retort for sterilizing glass and PET or polyethylene Therepthalate bottles;  spray dryer for making powdered products; pulverizing/grinder for grinding corn, nuts, rice, and other grains.

          Also at the center are deep fryer for frying chips, crackers, fries, dough mixer, noodle maker, noodle cutter and single screw extruder that is used in filling snacks and breakfast cereals.

          DOST II Regional Director Urduja Tejada said that it is now time to add more value to crops through processing and product developments. She also said that with the competition on the processed food sector in the local market, with the center, more local small entrepreneurs in the region will be able to create new products and expand through the equipment and services offered by the Center.

          CSU Executive Officer Archimedes Articulo said that the Center can be a venue for its functions such as instruction, research, extension and production, benefitting the students, faculty, community, enterprises and cooperatives.