November 29, 2022

VFIP Product Feature: L’Xir

L’Xir Tonic Vinegar—how this product came about? It’s USP? How it was developed?

In a cuisine where sourness is a dominant theme, vinegar does not lack in value, from the tangy tones of proclaimed national dish adobo to the hallmark acidity of kinilaw to the tart sawsawan readily available on any Filipino dining table. 

The use of vinegar in local flavor precedes colonialism. With the numerous palm species available on Philippine topography, it’s natural for vinegar to fit right in with the flavor profile. As a ubiquitous and relevant ingredient, it constantly opens itself up to reinvention—the newest of which is L’Xir. 

Flavored vinegar is the convenient shorthand for L’Xir. Describing itself as a tonic vinegar, it’s drinkable (like apple cider) but it can also be used for cooking and as a condiment. Maureen Pasciolco of Pasciolco Agri Ventures, which developed this new variation, tells CITEM that she found inspiration from the usual vinegar, garlic, and chili combinations that Filipinos love preparing with their meals. She ran with the idea and added herbs instead of aromatics. 

Pasciolco, a Chemistry graduate, started making vinegar back in the ’90s. “Gumawa ako ng suka kasi alam ko at that time, 1996, problema ng mga coconut planters ang waste ng sabaw ng niyog [I started making vinegar because, in 1996, coconut planters had a problem with the disposal of coconut water],” she says. “I later found out that it was better to use coconut sap for vinegar though.” 

These days, Pasciolco has refined her process. She uses fresh coconut sap combined with real coconut sap vinegar. She experimented with different herb permutations, which she said was the most difficult process. The vinegar is then fermented for 15 days. Under CITEM’s Value Food Innovation Program, which assists local food MSMEs to be ready for the international market, she learned to pasteurize her products to give them a longer shelf life and to prevent the development of microbes. 

Available flavors are O’Samba (oregano, sambong, banana), Babapepps (Pasciolo’s personal favorite with bay leaf, basil, peppercorn), and Lemone-G (lemongrass, guava, guyabano leaves). All three are certified HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point), JAS (Japanese Organic Regulation), USDA organic, and ICDP halal, with zero artificial preservatives and chemicals. 

To use L’Xir as a tonic, shake the bottle well as sediments might have gathered at the bottom. Take one or two tablespoons and mix it with eight ounces of water. You can also add honey to layer on a sweet flavor. According to Pasciolco, this concoction, which promotes immunity and digestion, may be consumed twice a day, and at any time. As a condiment, you may use it however you want, be it as a salad dressing or to finish a dish. 

Innovations can go any which way, but with L’Xir, which amps the bold tones of local vinegar with even more Filipino flair, this is definitely a step in the right direction.

Source: Sasha Lim Uy

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