HPB aims to develop staples with wholegrain or brown rice without compromising taste and texture.
Singapore – Ten companies so far have received grants totalling $5 million from the Health Promotion Board (HPB) to create healthier staple food, about five months after it launched a scheme to subsidise such production.
Under the Healthier Ingredient Development Scheme, the companies will produce staples with healthier ingredients, such as wholegrain and brown rice in noodles – without compromising the taste and texture – and substituting palm oil products with lower saturated fat options.
The companies include noodle makers Tan Seng Kee Foods and Leong Guan Food Manufacturer, as well as oil and rice products manufacturers Lam Soon Singapore and Sengkang Trading Enterprise.
The scheme, launched in July this year, will see the HPB committing $20 million over three years.
Giving an update on the scheme, HPB chief executive officer Zee Yoong Kang said the take-up rate among noodle manufacturers is very low, at only about 2 per cent.
“With products like noodles, there is more of a challenge than with oil, because there is a change in taste and texture. However, HPB is determined to get the market penetration level to 10 per cent by 2020,” he said.
The participating companies will conduct research and development aimed at creating healthier products that taste as good as the traditional options, he added.
Leong Guan Food Manufacturer took the media on a tour of its factory yesterday.
