Some Filipinos who were picky eaters as children may remember being told by an older relative .

 Some Filipinos who were picky eaters as children may remember being told by an older relative “Hindi ka mabubuhay sa guerra” which roughly translates to “You cannot survive a war”. The Philippines experienced a food shortage during World War II, a problem that was made less severe thanks to the inventions of one Filipino food technologist. 

Since young, María Orosa sought to amend malnutritional problems that the public faced. The country’s government invested in Orosa’s education and sent her to various countries including Germany and France to study new methods in food technology and preservation. 

By the time World War II arrived in the Philippines, many ingredients were restricted from the public and Filipinos were facing another huge problem; nutritional deficiency diseases. Orosa immediately took a leading role during the war. Not on the battlefield, but by using her knowledge to develop and invent nutritional food recipes. 

Among her food inventions were Soyalac, a nutrient-rich drink made from soybeans, as well as Darak, a rice cookie packed with Vitamin B that helped prevent beriberi diseases. Orosa had also invented a process for canning goods that sustained the Filipino soldiers. 

But that was not all. Orosa had also risked her life to smuggle food into Japanese-run internment camps to feed the Filipino and American prisoners of war who would have otherwise died of starvation. 

Unfortunately, Orosa did not live to see the end of the war as she was killed during an American bombing raid. Today, the Philippine government has officially recognized Orosa’s contributions with streets and buildings named after her.