New research innovations from the Pampanga State Agricultural University (PSAU) are now being undertaken to place tamarind into the mainstream food culture, reinventing it into a juice drink and even for soda and yogurt.
PSAU was able to successfully complete product development for the use of tamarind fruits as juice drink. Meanwhile, the research is being finalized for tamarind soda and tamarind yogurt with completion scheduled by the end of the year.
Research on the product is led by Helen Grace Domingo, Rafael Pantoja and Dr. Rafael R. Rafael, with the aim to develop products that would further diversify the food applications for tamarind. Tamarind Research, Development, and Extension head Warlina M. Guzman told this reporter that once everything has been completed, they can proceed with commercialization.
As for tamarind juice, Guzman said that the university is open to partner with businesses and entities willing to commercialize the product. Currently, PSAU produces the product, complete with bottling and labeling, for limited consumption.
“Tamarind juice is ready for commercialization and its nutritional facts have already been analyzed,” Guzman said, bullish on the fact that the product has shown high acceptability among the consumers they surveyed.
Not just sweet tamarind, sour too
Following the successful research and cultivation efforts on the Aglibut tamarind sweet variety in the past several years, PSAU has now also moved to develop products for the sour tamarind variety through science and technology (S&T)-based interventions.
The research program for tamarind inside PSAU under NICER (Niche Center for R and D in the Regions program) is in coordination with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). The program is now capitalizing on both varieties of tamarind. PSAU President Dr. Anita David announced in 2024 that the DOST allocated some P33 million for the Tamarind NICER Program.
Guzman said that the tamarind juice is made from the sour variety, while the tamarind soda and tamarind yogurt are made from sour and semi-sweet varieties.
She added that they are already in talks with partners for possible commercialization of tamarind juice, stressing that other interested parties may coordinate their intent to partner through PSAU’s Information Technology and Business Process Management.
PSAU had also successfully made other products like wine, vinegar, cookies, donuts, and tarts—all from tamarind.
Opening linkages for tamarind production
Tamarind (Tamarindus indica Linn.) is an important fruit crop of mainly domestic uses. Sour tamarind is traditionally used in Filipino cuisine as a souring agent or processed into candy when ripe. Food processing companies use it to produce tamarind powder that is utilized for both food processing and flavoring.
PSAU had recently entered into partnership with Sunrich Manufacturing Corporation, one of the biggest food manufacturing companies in the country, to link with farmers for supply of young tamarind fruits.
Tamarind farmers from Arayat and Magalang supply the company with immature tamarind fruits, which the company buys to produce tamarind powder. PSAU said the company needs tons of tamarind fruits during their production cycle every September to October.
But despite the demand, local tamarind sources are still insufficient to meet market requirements. It is said that the local food processing industry needs some 8,000 metric tons of tamarind annually to meet local demands so as not to rely on imports to fill gaps.
State of tamarind supply
Central Luzon, including Pampanga where PSAU operates, is the second top-producing region of tamarind next to the Ilocos Region. In terms of fruit yield per tree, Central Luzon ranks first in the country. To further improve statistics, the DOST is targeting key developments in the tamarind program. The DOST said that “sour tamarind has considerable commercial possibilities in the market.”
The DOST’s Tamarind R&D Center targets to increase the yield of tamarind by at least 30 percent—from 3.36 metric tons per hectare (national average) to 4.36 metric tons per hectare.
The Center also reported this year that it was able to expand the sour tamarind plantations in Central Luzon to 121 hectares.