Students Take 2nd in National Food Competition
Slideshow
This slideshow contains 7 slides that will change every 8 seconds. The first button is to play and pause the slideshow, followed by buttons to go to the previous slide, next slide, or choose individual slides.
A team of two Cal Poly Pomona food science and technology students finished in second place in a national product development competition sponsored by the Research Chefs Association (RCA).
Haley Lam and Jacqueline Thach, who were advised by Assistant Professor David Edens of the Department of Nutrition and Food Science, were the runner ups in the 2021 RCA Student Culinology Competition, which was held virtually during the RCA+ conference, March 23-26.
For the competition, the finalists had to develop a food product that met the following criteria:
- Had at least 10 percent reduced sodium from its standard formulation through an effective use of monosodium glutamate (MSG) to replace the salt component and kokumi to enhance the flavor;
- Be a single-serve item, either sweet or savory;
- Be recognized as flavorful and on-trend;
- Could be incorporated conveniently into a school’s foodservice menu.
Lam and Thach developed “Blazin’ Noodz,” a savory curry noodle dish that drew upon inspiration from Ethiopian and Thai cuisines and was made specifically to target the nutritional exclusivities in vegan and gluten-free diets.
The noodles were created through a blend of legumes bound with the enzyme transglutaminase; the curry sauce was made with Ethiopian Berbere seasoning and a Thai-style coconut base with spices respective to these cuisines.
The students submitted their entry as a proposal, which included:
- a description, including packaging and shelf-life details and nutrition label;
- a formulation sheet, cost analysis, and preparation instructions;
- identification, description and justification for technical ingredients and commercial production.
A panel of eight judges reviewed the product, based on its originality, a video presentation, and question-and-answer session.
A team from Taylor University took first place, while a team from Mississippi State took third.
Thach and Lam earned $1,000 for second place.
Lam, a senior from Rowland Heights, plans to attend graduate school and become a food scientist to create nutritious and safe foods without compromising its taste and appearance.
Thach, a senior transfer student from San Jose, also plans to attend graduate school but plans to work in food product development to create innovative food products and eventually create her own product line.