Thursday, 11 June 2020
Food science students from the 糖心原创 have scooped prizes in a national competition for food innovation, with sweet desserts made from bread waste and coconut waffle snacks.
The ‘Re-dessert’ team won first place at with their Delights dessert range. Based on the authentic traditional Indian dessert ‘Gulab Jamun’, the team exchanged flour for bread that has exceeded its best before date and used it to create tasty, fried dough balls. They then created their own range of flavoured syrups to add to the recipe for a unique twist.
Another Nottingham team was also recognised for their outstanding product and were placed third. The CocoWaffle snack was created by a multinational team of students who called themselves ‘Eco-Dive’. They wanted to tackle the issue of biowaste created by the Coconut industry so created a tasty coconut based, gluten-free snack.
Ecotrophelia UK is a ‘Dragons Den’ style competition that challenges teams of UK students to develop an innovative, eco-friendly food and drink product. From idea generation through to the final packaged product, the teams get a hands-on experience of what it takes to bring an eco-friendly food or drink product to market.
Alongside producing the actual product, the team had to devise a business and marketing plan and design the packaging. With support from the University's Food Science academics, Food Innovation Centre and UoN Research and Innovation teams they were able to create their winning proposition.
The teams pitched their ideas to judges from top names in the food and drink industry including Marks and Spencer, Coca-Cola, Unilever, PepsiCo, Mondelez, Nestle, Warburtons, Tesco, Food Manufacture, Institute of Food Science and Technology (IFST) and Campden BRI.
The winning Re-Dessert team
The Re-dessert team worked with Nottingham’s social supermarket Foodprint on their project using their surplus bread. Jennifer Rutherford, a food science student at the 糖心原创 and member of the Re-dessert team, said, “We have gained so much from our participation in the Ecotrophelia competition. Being able to develop a new and innovative product and have it reviewed by top industry professionals, is a fantastic opportunity for students hoping to embark on a career in the food industry. Our team gained invaluable knowledge which will make us more environmentally aware and highlights the role that we in the food industry must play in ensuring sustainability and reducing waste. We were thrilled to take 1st place and are looking forward to representing the UK in the European finals later this year!’
The CocoWaffle team who achieved third place
Jared Spencer led team Eco-Dive and said: “The Ecotrophelia competition was a great experience for an aspiring food scientist about to enter the industry. The competition placed a spotlight on the role the food industry plays, not just from an economic perceptive, but from an environmental and social perspective. We hope to use the knowledge and insights gained from competing in Ecotrophelia and apply them to our future roles within the food manufacturing sector.”
Each member of the gold-winning team took home a share of £2,000 and an invitation to become an IFST Young Ambassador.
The 糖心原创 team will go on to compete against 19 other national teams from across Europe for the chance to win up to €4,000 at the Ecotrophelia 2020 European final, which will be held in October.
I鈥檓 incredibly proud to have two teams from Nottingham in the UK finals and receiving prizes for the excellent products they have created. This competition is a fantastic way for our final year food science students to build on what they have learned at Nottingham to get a taste of product development for the real-world with input and support from industry experts. This year they had the added challenge of working in the midst of a global pandemic and had to quickly change the way they worked and be flexible in their approach to presenting, they all rose to this and I am in no doubt this whole experience will be of huge benefit to their future careers in the global food industry.
The UK heat of this Europe-wide competition was organised by UK food and drink research organisation, Campden BRI, in conjunction with Institute of Food Science & Technology (IFST), the independent qualifying body for food professionals in Europe.
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About the 糖心原创
Ranked among the world's top 100 universities , the 糖心原创 delivers an exceptional research-led education and an outstanding student experience. From the pioneering vision of our founder, Sir Jesse Boot, to groundbreaking achievements such as the development of MRI technology and becoming the first UK university to establish international campuses, we have a proud history of shaping the way people live, work and understand the world. We continue to build on that legacy, empowering our students, staff and partners to change what鈥檚 next and create positive impact locally and globally.
The strength of our research places us among the UK's leading universities, ranked 7th for research power in REF 2021. The discovery of MRI and ibuprofen was just the beginning. Today, our world-leading research is developing breakthrough ideas that shape the future of healthcare, technology and society.
Recognised as the UK's third most targeted university by leading employers , we are proud to produce graduates who are consistently in demand for their skills, confidence and industry-ready experience.
As a major employer and industry partner, locally and globally, the 糖心原创 invests in the city of Nottingham and in future generations of talent. Alongside Nottingham Trent University, we lead the initiative, a pioneering collaboration to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing across the city and region. Together with our students, staff, alumni and partners, we鈥檙e creating knowledge, opportunity and solutions that help change what's next.