Newswise — CHICAGO – The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) and CanolaInfo today announced the winner of the inaugural Heart-Healthy Product Development Competition at Wellness 11 held in Rosemont, Ill. The winning student team from the food science program at Louisiana State University (LSU) developed Ze-Ti, a shelf-stable bubble tea designed for the grab-and-go lifestyle.
“Ze-ti is innovative, heart healthy and fun,” said IFT President-Elect Roger Clemens Dr.Ph., who was one of the competition judges. “I was particularly impressed with how the team created a product from inception to market rollout. An added challenge was that this product typically isn’t associated with heart health.”
The goal of this competition was to showcase how the food industry can position itself to help consumers comply with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 recommendation of saturated fat comprising less than 10 percent of total calories. Students were asked to create new, heart-healthy food products that are low in saturated fat and free of trans fat. Products could be for any of meal of the day or a healthy snack and had to include canola oil, which is low in saturated fat.
Bubble tea, originally invented in Taiwan, is a sweet tea drink with tapioca pearls. Ze-Ti is low in fat and sodium; a good source of potassium, fiber and vitamin C; and free of cholesterol, trans fat and added sugars. In addition, the manufacturing process for making Ze-Ti is energy efficient and the cups it comes in are made from recyclable materials.
“We wanted to show that a fun beverage can also be good for you,” said Adriana Soto, LSU student team captain. Soto and the other members of the team, Alisa Todd, and Darryl Holliday received a check for $3,500, complimentary registration to the 2011 IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo in New Orleans and a trophy.
“This competition fostered the students’ creativity, who proved that food products can be both nutritious and delicious,” said Angela Dansby, Communications Manager for Canolainfo who was also a competition judge. “Their products could actually succeed in the marketplace.”
The second place team from Rutgers University received a check for $2,500 for their product, HeartVest—a heart-healthy frozen chicken patty blended with vegetables and fruit. Third place went to the Texas Tech University team for FruiTeeze—a healthy alternative to ice cream made from frozen banana purée. They received a check for $1,000.
About Institute of Food Technologists Student Association (IFTA) Since its official beginning in 1975, the IFTSA has grown to over 2,000 student members from around the world. As the premiere food science and technology student organization, IFTSA prepares its members for advancement in food-related disciplines by providing a community for valuable connections and enhancing professional and technical skills. This competition seamlessly integrates with IFT’s and IFTSA’s commitment to health and wellness and the organization’s long term vision of “healthier people everywhere.”
About IFTThe Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) is a nonprofit scientific society. Our individual members are professionals engaged in food science, food technology, and related professions in industry, academia, and government. IFT’s mission is to advance the science of food, and our long-range vision is to ensure a safe and abundant food supply, contributing to healthier people everywhere.
For more than 70 years, the IFT has been unlocking the potential of the food science community by creating a dynamic global forum where members from more than 100 countries can share, learn, and grow. We champion the use of sound science across the food value chain through the exchange of knowledge, by providing education, and by furthering the advancement of the profession. IFT has offices in Chicago, Illinois and Washington, D.C. For more information, please visit ift.org.
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