ISU Product Development Team Gets a Bid to National Competition
The 9-member Product Development team from Iowa State University was selected as one of 6 finalists in the national Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Product Development Competition.
Teams in the competition develop an idea for a new food and carry the concept through the production and marketing of a brand new product, much like the process of a commercial product development team.
Students in the competition are judged on originality, the product fits a unique section of the market; production, processing the product must be feasible; and marketability, the product should have consumer appeal. These criteria allow students to apply what they learn in class to real-life situations. In addition, it requires students to think critically, be creative and innovative.
ISU's team, Megan Wiley, Zara Nazareth, Yanjun Liu, Devin Dutilly, Candace Ilg, Janelle Brewer, Tony Haun, Huey Shin (Rachel) Gan and Charlwit Kulchaiyawat, met one to two hours per week as a group to come up with the idea and beginning formulations of a new beverage. In addition, each student devoted a couple of hours individually to create the product, which is being kept secret due to the competition.
Next, the ISU team, led by Food Science and Human Nutrition Associate Professor Mark Love, will write a final report and prepare for a presentation to judges in June at the national IFT meeting in Anaheim, California.
ISU last made finals in 2007 with their product "French Sticks". Other finalists in the 2009 competition are University of Minnesota, North Carolina State University, Pennsylvania State University, Purdue University, and Washington State University.
