Newswise — If it's savory and scrumptious, it must be Bocados.
With a bite-size Latino-style delicacy, Cornell University food science students are vying for the school's fourth national championship at the annual Student Food Product Development competition held at the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) meeting in New Orleans. The competition's final judging will be held July 16-18.
Bocados is a frozen snack treat designed for oven heating. The morsels are filled with guava fruit and mild white cheese wrapped by whole-grain corn dough. Each Bocado is 40 calories, and the treat is a source of calcium and fiber.
The Cornell students have been working on the product's development since last October, and they have tried a wide variety of filling and wrap combinations. In fact, the students subjected their concoction to 70 critical tasters, made up of faculty, staff and other students. The consumer preferences: more filling, less dough.
In February, the students submitted a short report to the IFT Student Association. (For purposes of unbiased judging, reports do not indicate the name of the submitting school.) The report included the product concept, market potential, the formulation, a description of the packaging, an explanation of the production process and a report on the safety and quality assurance program. By the spring, the Cornell students learned they made the finals.
"We tried to generate a product concept that would hit some trends," said Julie Goddard, a Cornell graduate student in food science and a team co-leader. "We looked for a product that people might actually buy, and we looked at ideas that fit," she said.
Cornell's team has won three previous IFT championships: Wrapidos, a cone-shaped, tortilla-style wrap (1998); Stir-Ins, a pencil-shaped cookie with heat-resistant chocolate and a flavoring on the tip for dunking in coffee (1996); and Pizza Pop-Ups, a toaster-ready pizza (1995).
The undergraduate students on the team are: Morgan Chase, Ossining, N.Y.; Ashley Hiatt, Granger, Ind.; Valerie Kasztejna, Saylorsburg, Pa.; Megan Lang, Webster, N.Y.; LeeCole Legette, Suitland, Md.; Scott McClure, Fairfax, Va.; Jessica Oesterling, New Alexandria, Pa.; and Becky Taylor, Wall, N.J.
The graduate students are: Sam Alcaine, Laurel, Md.; Zachary Caplan, Baltimore; Andrea Docking, Bangor, Pa.; Julie Goddard, Lansdale, Pa.; co-leader Sam Nugen, LaGrangeville, N.Y.; and Rocio Rodriguez-Arias, Bogota, Colombia. Joseph H. Hotchkiss, Cornell professor of food science and department chair, serves as the team's adviser.
The other finalists and their product names: the University of Wisconsin (Healthy Starts); Chapman University (Schookie); Michigan State University (Healthy Options Breakfast Frepes; Rutgers University (Vital Look Beauty Blossom); and Washington State University (Load and Re-Load.)
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