TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Agriculture and Food Agency (農糧署, AFA) launched two new rice pizzas on Tuesday (Aug. 20) in collaboration with PX Mart (全聯福利中心). The initiative aims to boost rice consumption in Taiwan, where the average rice intake per person in 2022 was only 42.98 kilograms.
AFA Deputy Director Huang Zhao-xing (黃昭興) highlighted the convenience and health benefits of the new pizzas, a crust made from 60% rice flour and 40% regular flour. Huang explained that consumers can prepare the pizzas in an air fryer or oven in 8 to 10 minutes.
The pizzas, available in Salty Pork (鹹豬肉) and Three Cup Chicken (三杯雞) flavors, will be sold in over 900 PX Mart stores. Huang expects the new products to sell 10,000 units within a year, using approximately 12 metric tons of rice flour.
Song Hung-yi (宋鴻宜), another AFA official, emphasized the health benefits of rice flour. Song noted that experiments have shown rice flour absorbs 18% less oil than regular flour when fried, making it a healthier option.
Since 2011, the AFA has promoted rice flour in new products, resulting in over 700 items, including notable successes like Mos Burger's (摩斯漢堡) purple sweet potato and taro rice pie (紫薯甜芋米派).