Posts Tagged ‘IFTSA’

IFTSA Student Competition Winners

Thursday, June 28th, 2012

Congratulations to all the IFT Student Association 2012 Competition Winners!

And thanks to all the finalist teams that participated.

Product Development Competition, sponsored by Mars:

• 1st place: Cornell University — Dough TEMPtations
• 2nd place: Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison — Cranberry POPlers
• 3rd place: Ohio State Univ. — UnBeetable Burger

Developing Solutions for Developing Countries Competition:

• Domestic:
• 1st Place: Washington State Univ. & Univ. of Idaho — Mango Maandazi

• International:
• 1st Place: Universiti Putra Malaysia — Vit-A-Go

Nutritious Food for Kids, sponsored by Disney Consumer Products:

• Grand prize—University of Wisconsin-Madison — Peanut Butter Jamsicles
• First place—University of Wisconsin-Madison — Pitstop

Chapter of the Year:

• Chapter of the Year—University of Massachusetts Amherst
• Most Improved Chapter—University of California-Davis

Undergraduate Research Paper Competition:

• First place—Margaret Debrauske (Univ. of Wisconsin)
• Second—Brittany Miller (Cornell Univ.)
• Third—Graysen Ortega (Texas Tech Univ.)

College Bowl winner: Brigham Young

Thanks again to all of our Sponsors!

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Fun Run is a Sure Bet for Attendees

Wednesday, June 27th, 2012

IFTSA Fun Run startLas Vegas never sleeps … well, the 600+ registrants who got up first thing Wednesday morning, June 27, for the 12th Annual Fun Run and Walk may not have gotten much sleep, but it was for a good cause. And even Elvis showed up to support the effort (look for him in the video below).  In total, sponsorships garnered over $81,000, once again a record high for Feeding Tomorrow scholarships. More than 15 student and corporate teams were among the participants. As in previous years, Bruce Ferree, California Natural Products, again raised the most money for a single person. Just for participating, all runners received a race t-shirt.

The race got off to a great start at 6:15 a.m. and at the end of the 3.1 miles it was clear that many were taking the “fun” run very seriously. The top three men and women runners were as follows:

Men

• David Peters, with a time of 16:22
• Christopher Charles, with a time of 17:11
• Steve Kollars, with a time of 18:45

Women

• Trella Chrisco, with a time of 22:05
• Sara Spoede, with a time of 22:06
• Amanda Charbonneau, with a time of 22:08

The list of top runners for each category is here. The list of times for all runners can be found here.

The IFTSA and Feeding Tomorrow gratefully acknowledge the Fun Run event sponsors:

Platinum: Chicago Section IFT, D.D. Williamson, Glanbia Nutritionals, Ingredion, Michael Foods Inc., PepsiCo, Southern California Section IFT

Gold: David Michael & Co., GEA, GNT, Horn Co., Land O’Lakes Dairy Foods, MET-Rx

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Student Product Developers in the Spotlight

Tuesday, June 26th, 2012

Six teams will vie for top honors in the finals of the 2012 IFT Student Association & Mars Product Development Competition. This prestigious annual competition challenges student teams to apply their academic knowledge to the process of developing a winning product prototype.

The process is a long one; the competition’s first deadline was Feb. 1, when initial product proposals were due. Each year, participating teams come up with a concept and carry it through marketing and production, approaching the project much like a commercial product development team.

Here’s a preview of the product development creativity that will be on display from the finalists in this year’s competition.

• California Polytechnic State University—Veg This Way, a vegetable leather snack that features gourmet flavor combinations

• Cornell University— Dough TEMPtations, a fruit-filled, compound-coated, cookie dough snack formulated to be enjoyed straight from the refrigerator or oven-baked to produce coated cookies 

• The Ohio State University— UnBeetable Burger, a flavor-packed, frozen veggie burger slider that comes conveniently pre-assembled and can be microwaved and ready to eat within minutes

• Pennsylvania State University— Brew Bites, bite-sized crackers shaped like a bottle cap and made largely out of spent grain left over from the brewing process as well as hop and malt extract to provide an authentic beer-like taste sensation

• University of Minnesota— Theikos, a frozen vanilla Greek yogurt bar atop a bed of crunchy granola topped with a sweet honey drizzle

 • University of Wisconsin-Madison—Cranberry POPlers, soft pretzel balls made of sweet potato filled with a tangy cranberry sauce

The oral component of the Product Development competition will take place from noon to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, June 26, in Room N101.

Product posters will be on display from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Wednesday, June 27, in the Las Vegas Convention Center, Hall C5.

Competition winners will be announced on Wednesday night at the IFTSA Welcome Assembly, where Mars will award prizes to the winning teams. The competition is sponsored by Mars Chocolate North America.

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Competing to Help Make the World a Better Place

Tuesday, June 26th, 2012

The focus will be global in the Developing Solutions for Developing Countries competition, which asks participating student teams to develop new products or processes designed to improve the quality of life for people in developing nations.

This year student competitors were tasked with creating a mango-based product that addresses nutrient deficiencies common in Kenya. Mangoes grow abundantly in Kenya, but the harvesting season is short so the competition guidelines emphasize that product concepts must be something that can be produced rapidly. The irregular size, shape, and color of mangoes can also present a challenge to growers.

Six finalist teams—three domestic and three international—will vie for the competition’s top honors in Las Vegas. Oral finals will be held from 9 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, June 27, in Room N101 of the convention center.

Here’s a preview of the finalists and the products and concepts they have created.

• University of Massachusetts-Amherst—Mango Meal, a nutrient-dense fortified corn porridge made with dried mango flakes

• Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University—Uji-mate, nutritious mango flour that can be added to a popular Kenyan breakfast porridge called uji, producing a porridge that is rich in vitamin A, iron, and zinc

• Washington State University and University of Idaho—Maandazi, a comprehensive development plan leading to the preparation of dehydrated mango for use in a dry mix for maandazi, which is a popular Kenyan fried dough snack

• Bogor Agricultural University—Mangnut, a snack that contains vitamin A, vitamin C, protein, and iron that can be made using local resources and simple technology

• Brawijaya University—Stift Oorrid Mango, an instant, high-protein product made with ingredients including cowpea, maize, and mangoes that contains vitamin A, vitamin C, micronutrients such as thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin, and is high in fiber

• Universiti Putra Malaysia—Vit-A-Go, a simple but delicious mango leather packed with Vitamin A that can be made from bruised or overripe mangoes

Now in its fourth year, the Developing Solutions for Developing Countries Competition is partially sponsored by General Mills. Winners will be presented with their prizes by a representative of the company at the IFT Student Association Welcome Assembly on Wednesday night.

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Competition Showcases Healthy Snacks for Kids

Tuesday, June 26th, 2012

Disney characters add a big element of fun to nutritious fare created for the annual Disney-IFT Student Association Product Development Competition, which enters its final phase at the IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo. Sponsored by Disney Consumer Products, the competition is now in its fourth year. Five student teams are competing for top honors in Las Vegas.

The competition challenges teams with developing a product concept suitable for retail or foodservice that is unique, innovative, and healthful and targeted to children under the age of 12. Specifically, the products are to incorporate at least one of the following: a fruit, a vegetable, low-fat dairy, and/or whole grains. Participating teams develop their product around one Disney character franchise.

Here’s a preview of the new product creativity that will be on display in Las Vegas from the finalists.

• The Cornell University team’s concept is Phineas and Ferb’s Vegginators, a convenient snack packed with fiber and a full serving of vegetables.

• The University of Florida team will be showcasing Yum-e-Milk, a fizzy chocolate milk enriched with natural nutrients from almonds and dates and sweetened with stevia.

• The offering from the University of Minnesota team is Mickey’s Fantasticos, a Mickey-shaped sandwich cracker formulated with vegetables in the cracker batter and a filling of low-fat cream cheese. 

• A team from the University of Wisconsin-Madison has developed Peanut Butter Jamsicles, which are frozen treats on a stick that swirl creamy peanut butter and high-protein Greek yogurt with a burst of 100% grape juice concentrate—ingredients designed to give the product the familiar flavor of a classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

• The entry from another University of Wisconsin-Madison team is Pit-Stop, a portable smoothie beverage made with a blend of fruit and vegetable juice and Greek yogurt.

Check out the competition’s oral finals in the Special Events Pavilion, Booth 776, right on the Food Expo floor, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, June 27. Disney will present the winning teams with prizes at the IFTSA Welcome Assembly on Wednesday night. The grand prize is $7,500, and first place is $3,500. In addition, three teams will receive honorary prizes of $1,000.

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IFT, Phi Tau Sigma Award Top Students in Division Posters

Monday, June 25th, 2012

Ken LeeOn Monday afternoon, IFT and Phi Tau Sigma (the honor society for food science and technology) recognized and awarded student finalists of the division poster competition. Students from several universities in the United States and abroad received certificates and awards in various categories based on the division discipline, such as Biotechnology, Food Engineering, and Nutrition.

“We are here to celebrate the remarkable achievements of award-winning students,” said Ken Lee, Professor and Chair, Dept. of Food Science & Technology, The Ohio State University, and President of Phi Tau Sigma. “These awards showcase the best we have in our profession.”

Lee urged the students to build a network of food professionals to help them advance their careers. “You are the future leaders of our profession; I challenge you to do your best.” IFT President Roger Clemens echoed Lee’s remarks. “You represent research and the promise of innovation. Through food science, you can make a difference in the lives of people here and around the world,” said Clemens.

Clemens noted that during a recent trip to Morocco he saw firsthand how food science is making a difference. “Morocco has no refrigeration and poor sanitation. UHT processing and packaging can provide safe beverages for drinking and improvements in water quality have reduced diseases related to diarrhea.”

About 645 papers were submitted for the division poster competition. The awards ceremony recognized the finalists and the first-, second-, and third-place winners. The first-place winners in each division category are as follows:

Aquatic Food Products Division: Naim Montazeri

Biotechnology Division: Maria Rosales Soto

Carbohydrate Division: Chao-Feng Hsieh

Dairy Division: Rachel Campbell

Food Chemistry Division: Brian Song

Food Engineering: Natthakan Rungraeng

Food Microbiology Division: Thomas Rodda

Food Packaging Division: Soumi Ray

Fruit & Vegetable Division: Oluranti Campbell

International Division: Sahar Navidghasemizad

Marketing & Management Division: Courtney Simons

Muscle Foods: Changqi Liu

Nonthermal Division: Fangfei Lou

Nutraceutical Division: Kaustav Majumder

Nutrition Division: Adriana Soto

Product Development Division: Sara Boswell

Quality Assurance Division: Mengna Su

Refrigerated & Frozen Foods: Kevin Mis Solval

Toxicology & Safety Evaluation Division: Katherine Ivens

These students presented their award-winning posters at the Monday evening Networking Reception.

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Brave the Heat for a Good Cause

Monday, June 25th, 2012

Fun RunThose of you who ran in the 2011 IFT Student Association and Feeding Tomorrow Fun Run know what’s it’s like to run in the heat. Well, this year it’s going to be a little warmer, but hey it’s dry heat! And just keep in mind that after you take part in the 5K/3.1 mile run/walk 12th Annual Fun Run on June 27 you can go jump in your hotel pool to cool off. And most importantly, the proceeds generated will go to undergraduate and graduate scholarships.

If you have pre-registered for the Fun Run, be sure to pick up your race bib and t-shirt on Tuesday, June 26, at the Fun Run Booth at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The booth will be open from 11:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. But don’t worry, if you haven’t registered yet, you can still do so on race day for $30.

Custom plaques will be awarded to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place men’s and women’s 5K winners. Collect Fun Run pledges from your peers, and you could qualify as the “Top Fundraiser”…and win a fabulous prize.

On Wednesday, registration will begin at 5:45 a.m. at the Las Vegas Hotel & Casino and the race officially starts at 6:15 a.m.

The IFTSA and Feeding Tomorrow gratefully acknowledge the Fun Run event sponsors:

Platinum: Chicago Section IFT, D.D. Williamson, Glanbia Nutritionals, Ingredion, Michael Foods Inc., PepsiCo, Southern California Section IFT

Gold: David Michael & Co., GEA, GNT, Horn Co., Land O’Lakes Dairy Foods, MET-Rx

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IFTSA Competition Winners

Tuesday, June 14th, 2011

by Kelly Hensel

Congratulations to all the IFT Student Association 2011 Competition Winners!

And thanks to all the finalist teams that participated.

Product Development Competition, sponsored by Mars:Michigan State team

• 1st place: Michigan State University — Minute Escape
• 2nd place: Cornell University — Vege3
• 3rd place: University of Wisconsin-Madison — Blissful Bites

2011 Developing Solutions Domestic Winners, Cornell Univ.Developing Solutions for Developing Countries Competition, sponsored by General Mills:

• Domestic:
• 1st Place National: Cornell University (photo, left) — Mandimais
• 2nd Place National: University of Minnesota, Twin Cities — Nkwa Brodo
• 3rd Place National: Rutgers University — Galletas Fortaleza

Developing Solutions International Winners• International:
• 1st Place International: Brawijaya University, Indonesia (photo, right) — instant noodles
• 2nd Place International: Gadjah Mada University, Indonesia — soy rice porridge
• 3rd Place International: Institute of Chemical Technology, India — Ferro-Power

University of Wisconsin-Madison teamNutritious Food for Kids, sponsored by Disney Consumer Products:

• Grand prize—University of  Wisconsin, Madison (graduate) (photo) — Pixie Dust Fruit Beverage Mix
• First place—University of Arkansas — Phenomenal Funchies

Chapter of the Year winner, Oregon StateChapter of the Year, sponsored by PepsiCo:

• Chapter of the Year—Oregon State University (photo, right)
• Most Improved Chapter—University of Minnesota

Undergraduate Research Paper Competition:

• First place—Abigal Snyder (Ohio State University)
• Second—Dominque Sinopoli (Cornell)
• Third—Karen Chang (Rutgers)

College Bowl Winner, Ohio State Univ.College Bowl winner: Ohio State University (photo)

Thanks again to all of our Sponsors!

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White House Chef Urges Tomorrow’s Food Leaders to Think ‘Outside the Box’ to Create Healthier Products

Tuesday, June 14th, 2011

by Bob Swientek

Sam KassInnovative, “outside-the-box” thinking is needed in product development to get more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables into the diets of Americans, said Sam Kass, White House Chef & Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives at an address to more than 500 students at the Monday evening IFTSA Welcome Assembly & 26th Annual College Bowl Competition.

Kass acknowledged the role that food science and technology plays in our modern society, delivering safe, affordable, and convenient foods. But the unintended consequences of this abundant food supply have contributed to an obesity epidemic in the United States. About one-third of children are overweight or obese and one in three of these children will develop diabetes in their lifetimes, noted Kass. Healthcare costs related to obesity amount to about $150 billion annually in the United States.

“We want to make the healthiest choice the easiest choice,” said Kass. But there is no magic bullet. Solving the obesity epidemic requires a collective effort and everyone must play a part, explained Kass. For food science students, tomorrow’s food leaders, their part and challenge is to create healthier foods with less sodium, sugar, and fat that are delicious.

These challenges are not easy. “If I one day reduced sodium 50% in the dishes I prepare at the White House, I would not have a job,” Kass remarked. “But you can reduce sodium gradually over time so that the food is acceptable and enjoyable.” In addition, Kass noted the examples of microwavable prepared vegetables and bagged salads as ways the food industry is already answering the call for the healthier products.

While First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move campaign is spearheading the effort to end childhood obesity in a generation, the problem will not be solved in Washington, DC, declared Kass. “Obesity is a local issue and must be solved block to block to and neighborhood to neighborhood,” said Kass. “We must ensure that families have access to healthy and affordable foods. We need to connect kids to food at an early age, such as through cooking or planting a vegetable garden. This basic education forms a foundation that will help them make better food choices throughout their lives,” said Kass.

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Sweating for a Cause at the Fun Run

Saturday, June 11th, 2011

by Kelly Hensel

Fun Run I know what you are thinking … waking up super early to go for a run in New Orleans’ heat and humidity sounds like the last thing you want to do, right? Well, believe it or not, the Fun Run, sponsored by the IFT Student Association and Feed Tomorrow foundation, is actually really fun. The 11th Annual Fun Run will take place at Audobon Park and kicks off at 6:15 a.m. on Monday, June 13. Not only do the proceeds from this 5K/3.1 mile run/walk go to undergraduate and graduate scholarships, but it offers a chance to get together with students, new professionals, exhibitors and food industry experts of all ages. And if you can’t bond through a friendly competition and desire for water and air conditioning, when can you bond?

If you have pre-registered for the Fun Run, be sure to pick up your race bib and t-shirt at the Fun Run Booth at the Fun Run booth in Hall D of Morial Convention Center on Sunday, June 12, between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Custom plaques will be awarded to the first, second, and third place men’s and women’s 5K winners. Collect Fun Run pledges from your peers, and you could qualify as the “Top Fundraiser” and win a Canon PowerShot digital camera, perfect for snapping pics of everyone you meet at this year’s meeting.

On Monday, registration will begin at 5:45 a.m., and the race will start at 6:15 a.m. Buses to take participants to the Fun Run will depart at 5:30 a.m. from the following hotels:

• Hilton Riverside at 2 Poydras Street from the side breezeway entrance
• New Orleans Marriott at 555 Canal Street

The IFTSA and Feeding Tomorrow gratefully acknowledge the Fun Run event sponsors:

Platinum: Michael Foods Inc., Roquette America Inc., Chicago Section IFT, D.D. Williamson, Glanbia Nutritionals, Southern California Section IFT, McCormick & Co., PepsiCo

Gold: David Michael & Co., Richmond Baking, GNT, Del Monte Foods, Symrise, Eurofins

Bronze: Kraft Foods, Coca-Cola, Maryland Section IFT, E.T. Horn Co., IFT Foodservice Division, Oregon Section IFT, Mars Chocolate North America, Western New York Section IFT, Wisconsin Section IFT

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