On March 2, 2021 at the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation
Dr. Narong Sirilertworakul, President of NSTDA, Dr. Wannee Chinsirikul, Executive Director of NANOTEC, and Dr. Chai Wutiwiwatchai, Executive Director of NECTEC, together with NSTDA researchers and its alliance had held the 16th NSTDA Annual Conference: NAC2021 under the concept of “NSTDA 30th anniversary: Driving the BCG economy for sustainable development” through an online platform: www.nstda.or.th/nac during March 25-30, 2021.
Dr. Narong Sirilertworakul, President of NSTDA, stated that this year “NAC2021” is held as a full-fledged online conference conforming to the new normal style. In the event, all activities, such as the seminars, exhibitions, Open House visiting, Science and Technology Job Fair (S&T Job Fair), and various science activities for youth will be carried out online through www.nstda.or.th/nac. This year’s theme is NSTDA 30th Anniversary: Driving the BCG economy for sustainable development following the BCG (Bio-Circular-Green Economy). The BCG economy was stated as a National Agenda on January 13, 2021 by the Prime Minister with its goal to help strengthen the Thai economy and boost people incomes under the 5-years BCG strategic plan (2021-2026), which consists of 4 strategic areas, namely, Agriculture and Food, Health and Medicine, Energy Materials and Biochemistry, and Tourism and Creative Economy.
In this event, MTEC had presented two research results, namely M-Pro Jelly Drink and Plant-based chicken meat. M-Pro Jelly Drink is a gel high-protein drink made from green beans that contain protein more than 20% and calcium up to 10% of the recommended daily protein intake for Thai people aged 6 years and older. The product was created by a specific process to yield desired protein structures and sizes, along with the use of hydrocolloids to help stabilize its structures and distribution to produce high-protein jelly drink products from plant protein that have textures similar to those of commercial products in the market.
The plant-based chicken meat was developed based on the knowledge of food structure design and the protein properties, along with the use of substances that act as a binder and the appropriate dietary fiber to create a texture similar to chicken. This product can be easily molded after blending and can be instantly cooked into various dishes without going through the freezing process. The product can also be cooked through various types of food processing, such as frying, grilling, stir-frying, or making curry, which is readily produced on an industrial scale. It also contains 10-16% of protein, 6-10% of dietary fiber, and 6-9% of fat-free from saturated fat and cholesterol. Furthermore, there are alternative protein products from Mycoprotein that has no cholesterol and low in saturated fat as the innovation for the growth of the health food business.
