Food Science students place second in food innovation awards
A team of students studying food science at NTU scooped the silver prize and £1,000 at the Ecotrophelia Food Innovation Awards.
The team applied for Ecotrophelia after being mentored by their lecturer, Jess Cash.
Now in its seventh year, Ecotrophelia is an annual Europe-wide Dragon’s Den style competition that challenges student teams to develop the best eco-innovative food products.
The students presented their product and business plan to industry leaders at the UK final on 11 and 12 June at Campden BRI.
Their product, Caruffle, is a truffle made from carob and hazelnut, with a mixed fruit jelly centre high in vitamin B12 and rolled in popped and ground quinoa.
The team was made up of four BSc (Hons) Food Science students, Isabel Lorenzo Hernandez, Bethany Sayers, Sarah Kelly and Peter Jordan.
Speaking to Food Manufacture magazine, Caruffle team member Sarah Kelly said: “We all work full-time as well as doing our studies.
“We go to university one day a week and work five days a week, so trying to pull the whole product together, the challenges you face with the product, and the members of the team living in different areas and trying to find the time to fit it all in is a big achievement all together.
“When you’re faced with all the judges at once, it teaches you how to hold yourself, talk and come across as a team to present yourself well.”