The Department of Science and Technology laid out on Tuesday the top challenges the Philippine food sector faces.

In a televised interview, a DoST representative said that among the obstacles in the country’s food industry in terms of sanitation is the improper procedure in preparing and processing food.

"Another is the lack of competent food sanitation and hygiene practices and the lack of adequate training for our food workers," said DoST Central Visayas science research specialist Rino Dominic Cabungcal, adding that physical contamination is also one of the problems in the local food industry. "For example, our physical contaminations are pieces on the ground, breakable glass or breakable materials, or metals, and the inedible parts of plants or animals, such as animal hair or bones."

He said that challenges of biological and chemical contamination are also present, which pertain to the ingredients that come from the environment, such as pollution or radioactive materials.

Moreover, Cabungcal said that among the problems most food businesses in the country face is the lack of knowledge, skills, and training of food handlers, processors, and retailers about standard procedures for handling and selling food.

"The lack of adequate facilities and equipment and the supply of clean water in food production and sales areas is also one of the challenges," he said.

He added: "Increasing demand, competition in the local and international market that requires higher quality food, and higher quality food product safety are also challenges in the food industry."

Cabungcal said that climate change also affects the storage and transportation of raw materials and raw ingredients into finished products.