Sophie Santos, an extension associate with UOG Land Grant, pours fresh dragon fruit nectar during a value-added foods workshop held in September 2024. UOG will be offering this workshop again on Sept. 6. (Photo courtesy of University of Guam)
Want to learn how to preserve your dragon fruit harvest or make some Guam-grown treats to share with family and friends? The food science team at UOG Land Grant Extension Service will be hosting a value-added food products workshop focusing on dragon fruit, which is now at peak season and availability on island.
Dragon fruit grows well in Guam’s climate and is readily available in backyards, at grocery stores, and produce stands. They grow so abundantly that growers sometimes find themselves with an excess, said UOG extension food scientist Dr. Jian Yang. So he and his team have explored some recipes and procedures for turning them into shelf-stable food products and products that are fun to make and share.
The workshop will be held from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Sept. 6, on the UOG campus. For a $15 workshop fee, participants will learn about the health benefits of dragon fruit, post-harvest handling of the fruit, and how to make three value-added dragon fruit products:
Dragon fruit gummy candies
Dragon fruit–calamansi jam
Dragon fruit–calamansi nectar
Gummy candies made from locally grown dragon fruit. An upcoming food processing workshop on Sept. 6 with the University of Guam Land Grant Extension Service will teach participants how to make these and other value-added food products from dragon fruit. (Photo courtesy of University of Guam)
Photo courtesy of University of Guam (Photo courtesy of University of Guam)
Capacity is limited to the first 20 registrants. The workshop fee covers materials and light refreshments. Those interested may register online at https://url.uog.edu/dragonfruit-workshop.
For more information, contact Jane Mendiola or Clarissa S.N. Barcinas at (671) 735-2054/21 or email csnbarcinas@triton.uog.edu.
Stay informed of public workshops hosted by UOG Land Grant by subscribing to the email list at www.uog.edu/landgrant/#Subscribe.
