Turkish Flour Yeast and Ingredients Promotion Group (UTG) has, under the promotional activities it has been carrying on in the Philippines, realized trials in three Filipino bakeries for production, with Turkish hard flour, of the products consumed commonly in the Philippines with a view to making a difference in terms of Turkish wheat flour in the Philippines and improving the said country’s place in Turkey’s flour exports.

Trials were organized between 3-6 November 2015 in three Filipino bakeries of different sizes in different zones in the Philippines/Manila for production, with Turkish hard flour, of such bakery products consumed commonly in the Philippines as “pandesal” (yeast-raised salt bread), loaf bread and “monay” (Filipino bread rolls). Under the trials carried out in 3 different bakeries, favorite products of the bakeries were baked by using Turkish hard flour by the owners/master bakers of the bakeries on 4-5-6 November 2015 under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Hamit Köksel, Lecturer at the Food Engineering Department of Hacettepe University, and Chef Emin AYDEMİR from Turkey.

The UTG Delegation attending the trials were welcomed warmly at all three bakeries and all bakers and master bakers praised Turkish hard flour upon conclusion of the trials.

The trials, being the continuation of the bakers training programs realized in the Philippines, the first one between 19-22 March 2015, the second one between 24-25 June 2015, enabled the Filipino bakers to have an idea about the quality of Turkish hard flour by using their own baking methods under the conditions of their own bakeries, and to see that the bakery products carrying a big importance for the Philippines can be produced in the desired manner with Turkish flour as well.

Filipino-Chinese Bakery Association Inc.’s support was quite effective in arranging the said bakeries. Ms. Carla Leopoldo VALENCİA and Ms. Catherine G. BLAS–YU, the Filipino bakers/chefs previously trained in Turkey, contributed significantly towards the coordination required prior to and during the trials.