Winning Team to be Determined at IFT Wellness ’11 Conference
Newswise — CHICAGO— Cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death for adults in the United States and Canada. To address this public health issue, as well as highlight the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 call to consume less than 10 percent of total calories from saturated fat, the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), IFT Student Association (IFTSA) and CanolaInfo proudly announce the inaugural Heart-Healthy Product Development Competition.
The goal of this competition is to showcase how the food industry can position itself to help consumers comply with the Dietary Guidelines’ recommendation of saturated fat comprising less than 10 percent of total calories.
“Cardiovascular disease is largely preventable with a healthy lifestyle,” noted Shaunda Durance-Tod, R.D., CanolaInfo program manager at the Canola Council of Canada. “To this end, the Dietary Guidelines emphasize choosing the right types of fat in the diet, including replacing saturated and solid fats with unsaturated fats.”
Students were asked to create new, heart-healthy food products that are low in saturated fat and free of trans fat. Products may be for any of meal of the day or a healthy snack and must include canola oil, which is low in saturated fat. The three finalist teams will present their products at IFT’s Wellness ‘11 Conference March 23-24, in Rosemont, Ill., where the first place team will be announced. The winning team will receive a check for $3,500, complimentary registration to the 2011 IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo in New Orleans for all team members and a trophy. The second place team will receive a check for $2,500 and the third place team will receive a check for $1,500.
The three finalist teams and their products are as follows:
Texas Tech UniversityFruiTeeze: A healthy alternative to ice cream made from frozen banana purée.
Rutgers UniversityHeartvest: A heart healthy-frozen chicken patty.
Louisiana State UniversityZe-Ti: A pre-packaged, fruit-flavored bubble tea.
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.”
On-site Competition Timeline: •Poster Presentations and Product Samplings: Wednesday, March 23, 11:30 AM-12:30 PM (for journalists only)•Oral Presentations: Wednesday, March 23, 4:30-5:30 PM •Winners Announced: Thursday, March 24, 10:45 AM
For more information about the competition, please visit http://www.ift.org/community/students/competitions/heart-healthy.aspx.
For more information about Wellness ’11, please visit http://www.ift.org/meetings-and-events/wellness.aspx.Registration for Wellness ’11 is complimentary for credentialed media. Please contact Mindy Weinstein at 312-604-0231, [email protected] to register.
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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