Food Science Challenge Seeks New Products, Practices, and Technology
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The Food Science and Technology: Innovate for Tomorrow Challenge is inviting all current students and the last decade of UMass graduates to take part in the second-annual contest designed to inspire a range of original edible and technological food-science-related inventions, focused on a “future foods” theme.
The contest, with cash prizes awarded, is co-hosted by the Food Science Department, UMass Dining, and the Berthiaume Center for Entrepreneurship. The organizers hope to inspire and support products and technologies that can be developed and taken to the marketplace.
Some of the winners of the first contest last year are already rolling out their inventions on the UMass campus.
“As part of the Future of Foods Initiative, we’re hoping to inspire a new batch of creative ideas for future foods from our students and alumni,” says Lili He, food science department head and professor. “I’m deeply grateful to our co-hosts, donors [including Armand Paradis and Aletta Schnitzler], and leadership for their support of the second Food Innovation Challenge.”
The winning entrants from last year’s inaugural contest, part of the Berthiame Center’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Academy, included a smartphone-controlled kit for surface hygiene monitoring called BactiSee and a nutritious granola bar, Ghaia, with ingredients aimed at easing menstrual pain and PMS symptoms.
Yuzhen Zhang, co-founder of HertZ Innovation Technology who completed her Ph.D. in food science this August, was awarded a translational seed grant from the Institute for Applied Life Sciences to further develop BactiSee, the winning product that tests the cleanliness of surfaces.
“Winning first place in the Innovate for Tomorrow Challenge was a turning point for me,” says Zhang, who is now working as a postdoc in the food science department. “The exposure from the competition opened doors for many opportunities, especially to carry out external validation of our technology. For example, we successfully conducted method validation at UMass Dining Commons and Environmental Health & Safety, and are preparing to collaborate with University Health Services—an essential step in translating our innovation toward real-world impact. This experience not only validated the potential of our research but also gave me the confidence and connections to keep advancing. These validations are paving the way for industry adoption and for building our startup to bring this technology to market.”
The creators of Ghaia—Aminata Toure, now a junior in the Commonwealth Honors College; and food science undergrads Yurelin Castillo and Rachele Connor—will be selling their granola bar at the UMass Farmers’ Market, beginning September 26 and running through October. They hope to upscale production in the future.
“The Food Science and Technology: Innovate for Tomorrow Challenge has been more than just a steppingstone for Ghaia,” the team says. “It has been a true opportunity to bring our vision to life. It gave us the space to brainstorm, collaborate on our prototype, and turn an idea into something real. With this experience, along with the insightful advice from the judges, we were able to further refine our product. We are now preparing to launch at the Farmers’ Market, creating lasting memories along the way as we continue to grow and work toward empowering women through our venture.”
For the upcoming competition, students and alums may apply here as individuals or a team, competing in three categories under either the ideation phase or advanced phase, with additional special awards—the Paradis/Nawar Closest to Commercialization Award and the UMass Dining Innovation Award. Cash prizes total more than $13,000.
The categories are:
- Product development, which includes new products/ingredients/flavors, functional foods/food as medicine and sustainable food/packaging.
- Technology innovations to improve food production, processing, quality, safety, nutrition, or sensory experience.
- Practices to enhance food security and equity, restaurant innovation, transportation, and more.
The deadline to apply is November 3. The winners will be announced at the Innovation Challenge Academy Awards on November 20, two days after a closed-door competition before an expert outside panel of judges.