Last week, the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) celebrated the IFT Student Association (IFTSA) Achievement Award and Competition winners at IFT FIRST, which was held July 16–19 at McCormick Place in Chicago. Competitions took place July 17–18 with the IFTSA Closing Ceremony being held on July 18. IFTSA is a student-governed community of IFT members and the mission-driven organization executes programming and competitions throughout the year, supports student members and chapters, and aims to develop the leaders in the future of the science of food.

“IFTSA members represent the future of the food profession, and IFT is proud to help enrich their academic experience and empower these students to thrive as a community. Their passion for the science of food is truly inspiring,” said Kate Dockins, senior vice president, membership experiences at IFT. 

A few of the Achievement Award and Competition Winners are below:

IFTSA & Mars Product Development Competition

Through a 33-year sponsorship with Mars Wrigley, school teams develop a new food idea and carry the concept through marketing and production. The winner of the IFTSA and Mars Product Development Competition was CaféNana from Cornell University. CaféNana is an upcycled, innovative caffeinated coffee-banana sandwich bites consisting of two chewy banana leather pieces and a creamy sunflower butter coffee filling. This was the 15^th consecutive year that Cornell’s student team has made it to the finals.

Developing Solutions for Developing Countries Product Development Competition

The IFTSA Developing Solutions for Developing Countries product development competition promotes the application of food science and technology and the development of new products and processes that are targeted at improving the quality of life for people in developing countries. This year’s winner was Newbies (Drasties) from IPB University in Indonesia. Drasties is a new and innovative smoothie produced using local ingredients, such as dragon fruit, to help local Indonesian producers and keep prices affordable. It can also service as a nutritional value drink substitute. 

The Developing Solutions for Developing Countries competition is sponsored by Feeding Tomorrow Fund of IFT, which encourages, promotes, and rewards the excellence of students pursuing careers in the science of food through various efforts including a variety of academic tuition scholarships. Every year, the Feeding Tomorrow Fund of IFT offers undergraduate and graduate scholarships for students interested in pursuing careers in the science of food.

Smart Snacks for Kids Product Development Competition

The IFTSA Smart Snacks for Kids Competition challenges students to develop a fun and nutritious food or beverage product that abide by the USDA “Guide to Smart Snacks in School” recommendations. Now in its sixth year, the IFTSA Smart Snacks for Kids Competition challenges students to develop a fun and nutritious food or beverage product targeted at kids and/or teens. The winner of the $3,000 top prize was Hungry Monsters from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec. Hungry Monsters is a chocolate-flavored tart that kids can build themselves by filling the tarts and decorating them into hungry monsters using fun decorations.

The future of the science of food was the focus of IFT’s recently released Compensation & Career Path Report, which is free to Premier and Student members. To learn more about becoming a member, go to ift.org/membership.