Dr Gregorio Crisostomo

Dr Gregorio Crisostomo is an Electrical Engineer, faculty member in the Mechanical Engineering Department, and an Assistant Director for Research and Extension at TUP Visayas. His technology and engineering background provides the technical expertise to design and improve the multi-crop powder processing device, ensuring it is affordable and easy to operate. His aspiration to start a spinoff company and role in the university fulfils the institutional mandate to respond directly to the request of small-scale sweet potato farmers for an accessible machine, transforming unmarketable root crops into valuable powder.

His innovation uses a multi-crop powder processing device to convert taro and sweet potatoes into a 250-micron powder, offering a novel alternative to traditional flour. A key technology is the reduction of enzymatic browning, which significantly prolongs the powder's shelf life. Small-scale farmers often suffer losses as their substandard-sized root crops are difficult to market, and worsened by the high farm-to-market costs. The device enables farmers to transform unmarketable crops into a stable, high-value powder, reducing waste and establishing a new, reliable income stream.