BAKERS are eyeing the use of alternative as well as cutting sweeteners in pandesal as the prices of sugar continue to spike, a stakeholder group said on Tuesday, Oct. 18.
A sack of sugar now retails for almost P5,000 from P2,500, Asosasyon ng Panaderong Pilipino president Chito Chavez said in an interview over Teleradyo.
Cutting sugar content and reverting to the original recipe could help bakers cope with the rising costs, Chavez said. In the 1960s and the 1970s, pandesal is known for its low sugar content, he added.
“Ito po ang itinutulak natin ngayon sa pandesal. Pan = tinapay, de sal = asin. Bawasan po natin ang asukal sa ating mga pandesal ito po ay makakatulong sa ating kalusugan,” Chavez said.
“Meron pa po kami alternatibo isang uri ng halaman para sa mga diabetiko ‘yung stevia sweetener,” he added.
Using a local plant called stevia, which can be found in Bulacan, can also help mitigate the impact of elevated sugar prices, he added.
Stevia sweeteners are widely used nowadays but Chavez said they’re seeking for more affordable costs.
The group is set to meet with stevia farmers to negotiate a deal for cheaper bulk purchases, he said.
Inflation accelerated to 6.9 percent in September, way above the 2 to 4 percent government target, largely due to the rising food costs. (ABS-CBN News)
