涩里番

Imagining, designing, and developing a food product just as it would be done in industry within the framework of a prestigious international competition, was the challenge taken on by Cole, Jackie, and Deniz, students in 涩里番鈥檚 Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Each year, the Institute of Food Technologists Student Association (IFTSA) hosts an international competition that immerses students in the full food product development process, from ideation to market positioning. This year, three of the six finalist teams are from 涩里番, an impressive achievement that highlights the strength of its food science鈥搑elated programs. The competition鈥檚 final round will take place in July in Chicago.

An immersive and hands-on learning experience

For Jackie, a final-year undergraduate student in Food Science and Agricultural Chemistry, the competition offered a unique opportunity to explore applied food science. 鈥淚 first heard about it from students in upper years. The chance to discover this field, and to go to Chicago immediately caught my interest,鈥� she explains.

Cole, also in his final year in Food Science, saw the competition as a natural extension of his academic journey. Having previous leadership experience, he quickly took on the role of team captain. 鈥淢y strengths are mainly in organization and management. This competition allowed me to put those skills to good use while discovering the realities of food marketing,鈥� he says.

Innovating with creativity and responsibility

Competing in the IFTSA & Mars Product Development Competition category, Cole and Jackie鈥檚 team developed Mangonoodle, an innovative instant dessert inspired by the Asian dessert mango sticky rice. The product features blueberry-flavoured noodles served in a mango and coconut broth and is targeted primarily toward a university student audience. 鈥淲e wanted to start with a familiar format, instant noodles, while introducing something entirely new,鈥� Jackie explains.

Beyond flavour innovation, the team placed strong emphasis on nutritional value and sustainability. The product was formulated to include added fibre and protein, avoid artificial flavours, and incorporate thoughtful packaging choices aimed at reducing plastic use.

Designing solutions for real-world challenges

Meanwhile, Deniz, a third-year Bioresource student, is competing in the Developing Countries category. Her team designed a product, Fufu Laafi, intended for Burkina Faso, guided by principles of circular economy and sustainability.

鈥淭he country is increasingly investing in local tomato production and processing, which generates significant by-products,鈥� Deniz explains. The team chose to upcycle tomato pomace by incorporating it into fufu, a widely consumed staple food. The goal is to enhance the nutritional value of a daily food without changing eating habits or creating additional economic burdens. 鈥淲e didn鈥檛 want to create something that felt foreign. The product needed to be accessible, affordable, and suited to the local context,鈥� she adds.

A stepping stone toward the future

Throughout the process, the students benefited from close supervision and strong institutional support, including regular meetings with professors and access to food laboratories. For Deniz, the experience has been particularly formative. 鈥淚t鈥檚 my first real, hands-on experience in a food lab, even before my first internship. It really confirmed that I鈥檓 on the right academic path.鈥�

As the final competition approaches, the teams are refining their projects with confidence and enthusiasm. Next stop: Chicago, where they will present their products to a panel of industry judges and give them the opportunity to taste their creations.

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