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Pacific Regional Breadfruit Initiative readies for a test site

With National Geographic (NG) Magazine asking, “Can breadfruit … be a superfood of the future?” the crop that is still a staple across the tropics is heading for a growth spurt urged on by some of nutrition’s biggest buzz words.  And yes, it’s gluten-free.

 

According to a NG article posted on their website, “breadfruit is high in complex carbohydrates (the kind that are good for you), protein, and micronutrients like iron and zinc. And compared to white rice and potatoes, breadfruit scores lower on the glycemic index, so it won’t shock your blood sugar. That’s good news for the Pacific Islands where diabetes rates are soaring, largely due to the influx of imported processed foods.”

 

There are also non-nutritional advantages. The hardy tree is low maintenance and doesn’t require agrochemicals, so breadfruit is organic. And it’s fairly efficient. “It yields a lot of food for the amount of space it takes up, which is important on islands with limited space,” says Diane Ragone, Director of the Hawaii-based Breadfruit Institute, in an interview for the magazine’s website.

 

According to Ragone, shelf life has been a drawback. “Once it’s ripe, breadfruit rots pretty quickly, which is an issue when you have hundreds of large fruits to harvest all at once.”  And that’s where innovators working through the Pacific Regional Breadfruit Initiative (PRBI) project of the Pacific Business Center Program at the UH Shidler College of Business Administration come into play.

 

Key product development experts there have successfully tested and discovered a formulation for the production and manufacturing of gluten-free products with breadfruit flour incorporated into a variety of gluten-free products including noodles, cereal, various confections and pasta.

 

A media release from the University announces that breadfruit flour from the first batch of ma’afala variety from Oahu was tested earlier this month (July) in Illinois and New York to validate product properties under manufacturing conditions. Essential data needed from the testing was determining how well the breadfruit ingredients would hold up under the manufacturing conditions that include extreme pressure and temperature changes without loss of binding capacity and eating qualities.

 

According to Dr. Tusi Avegalio, Pacific Regional Breadfruit Initiative project manager and Director of the Pacific Business Center Program, test results not only exceeded expectations they heralded a breakthrough.  “Professor Huang’s extensive experience and knowledge of food chemistry, development and processing from the taro patch to corporate food giants has literally caused the PRBI to leap frog towards its goal of village/community based breadfruit agroforestry, breadfruit product manufacturing and export from the Pacific Islands to the U.S. and global markets.”

 

The final component of the breadfruit product development process — made possible with research and product development grants from the U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of insular Affairs – is setting up a test site (or sites) in the region.

 

The test sites will have the initial test installation of drying and milling equipment, renewable/alternative/battery energy technologies and support processes in place for immediate operation. Assessments and tests would allow for adjustments or modifications needed sufficiently to declare the system ready for transfer to local village/community/business entities and replication throughout the Pacific region to maximize supply resources.

 

Local government, village or private support in acquiring property for the initial test site would make site selection easy and expedite local capacity to engage immediately.  Once testing is complete, the plan is that the entire system will be transferred over to an appropriate local entity.

 

Dr. Tusi says the 2015 goal of the first test site, is a 500 lb. pallet of quality breadfruit flour for shipment and promotion before Christmas to specific outlets with which the PRBI is currently negotiating.

 

He told Samoa News over the weekend that at the invitation of Rep. Su'a Alex Jennings, he along with Professor Alvin Huang, Associate Researcher Laura Schulman, and Agroforestry Scientist and Tropical Trees and flora author Craig Elevitch will be on island on Aug 3 to make a presentation to the Fono’s Marine & Wildlife and Forestry Committee on the current status of the project.

 

The Pacific Regional Breadfruit Initiative was introduced in American Samoa at the first international Ulu Summit in December 2011.

 

A LAST WORD FROM DR TUSI

 

For the foreseeable future, the most important element in the entire process — it begins and ends there — is developing supply, the trees and the farmer. Opportunities to expand, grow and manage agroforestry groves of breadfruit back home, coupled with the many ancillary job opportunities and exciting economic possibilities that come with an export industry, may become a compelling reason for many Pacific islanders overseas to consider returning to their island homes—homes many reluctantly left because jobs were scarce and opportunities far beyond its shores.

 

The impending boom makes it equally compelling for those struggling overseas to return. And for those who want to stay, to do so with a renewed sense of confidence to build an exciting future under the comforting shade of the breadfruit tree.

 

TEST SITE TEAM

 

The on-site team comprises technical experts with national and international experience who work cross functionally with each other. Drying technology will be led by Eric Lundgren of Denver, Colorado, who specializes on recovery and preservation of agriculture and aquaculture process bi-product conversion from waste into high quality food commodities;

 

Milling and flour expert Jeff Gwirtz from the Grain and industry Science Department of Kansas State University brings extensive knowledge of the industry and technical aspects of the flour making process to the sites;

 

Bob Gough J.D. brings renewable/alternative energy technical expertise, climate change insights as a writing member of the International Panel for Climate Change (IPCC), and expertise in intellectual property/traditional knowledge legal considerations to the team. Bob is from Rosebud, South Dakota. He is also the Secretary of Intertribal Council on Utility Policy (COUP) an organization composed of federally recognized Indian tribes in the Northern Great Plains providing a forum on rights and resources for utility services on tribal lands.

 

Lastly, the agroforestry layout and general processing from ground to table will be implemented by Professor Huang of UH and agroforestry scientist Craig Elevitch of Kona, Hawaii who is the leading author and publisher of Pacific trees and flora globally. His publications are a key source for communities interested in breadfruit worldwide.

 

All sites will be invited to provide support for the six-person team when they are deployed for installation and training to their respective areas.