Newswise — Disney Consumer Products (DCP) and The Institute of Food Technologists Student Association (IFTSA) proudly announce the inaugural Nutritious Food for Kids Competition. Reinforcing Disney's long term commitment to providing more nutritious food options for kids around the world and recognizing the need to foster food science talent, DCP and IFTSA are launching this Competition to give students the opportunity to apply food science skills through the creation of nutritious, fun, kid-friendly food products.
"Offering parents a product assortment that is nutritious while fun for kids remains a companywide goal for Disney, " said Lance Gatewood, vice president of food, health & beauty for Disney Consumer Products North America." "The DCP and IFTSA Food for Kids Competition will inspire kids to take an active role in developing food products that are nutritious, but also taste good and are appealing to kids. We look forward to seeing the results of the student-teams' hard work and innovation."
The Walt Disney Company introduced nutritious food guidelines in 2006 which limit the use of the Disney name and its characters to only those kid-focused products that meet specific limits on calories, fat, saturated fat and sugar. DCP's food portfolio offers nutritious options in key meal categories including, bread, pasta, dairy and baked goods. Additionally, its fresh produce category continues to grow globally with more than 400 million servings of Disney produce served to date.
Since its official beginning in 1975, the IFT Student Association 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 the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) and the Student Association's commitment to health and wellness and the organization's long term vision of "healthier people everywhere."
Teams made up of two to five food science students (current IFTSA members only) were tasked with creating a retail or foodservice product for children under the age of 12 that incorporates a fruit and/or vegetable into the product or formulation. Preliminary proposals for the first round of the Competition were due March 1, 2009. Six finalist teams will be selected from among the preliminary proposals submitted. Final proposals are due by May 1, 2009, and each of the six finalist teams will receive a $1,000 travel grant to attend and present their entries at the final round of the Competition during the 2009 IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo in Anaheim, CA on June 8, 2009.
Student teams will be evaluated on three major criteria including: "¢ Product description " use, formulation, ingredient/component functionality, nutritional benefit, sensory tests, shelf life estimate, price/cost evaluation, and nutrition label
"¢ Process description " basis for selection, process flow diagram, hazard analysis critical control points (HACCP), and operating costs
"¢ Safety/regulations " focusing on formulations, functionality, and processing, legal implications of the product, good manufacturing processes (GMPs), and state and federal regulations
Four winning teams will be selected from among the six finalist teams. Two grand prize winning teams, one consisting of all graduate students and one consisting of all undergraduate students, will each receive $2,500, a trophy, and a VIP tour of Disneyland Park. A third winning team will receive a first place award of $1,250, and a fourth winning team will receive a second place award of $750.
For detailed information about the application process, rules, and deadlines visit:http://www.iftsa.org/competitions/dc/index.php
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