Women of Buluan: Crackling Weeds in the Sea

Producing high-quality seaweed crackers is not easy, Rosalie Inso has learned. As president of the Buluan Women’s Association, she has overseen the enterprise’s growth from rudimentary processing to becoming a skilled, income-generating producer of quality seaweed crackers in the Zamboanga Peninsula region of Mindanao, the Philippines. She has solved the production problems that originally occurred due to shortages of seaweed supply, but now she must choose the best food processing and preservation approach for the crackers. Students learn about seaweed processing equipment and process flow as they evaluate suitable preservation methods and packaging for the crackers.

• Explain the proper farming methods and post-harvest handling of seaweed.
• Compare and contrast the food processing methods that are used to preserve foods.
• Identify suitable packaging to extend the shelf life of the product.