First-year food science students compete in product development

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — “Yam Bam” and “Boocha Boost” may not be household food names, but they represent the kind of innovation students in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences are bringing to the table.

Both are food products developed by food science students as part of national food product development competitions.

While neither product is commercially available, they both reflect the innovation and creativity students can explore in the college as early as their freshman year.

Anna Wetherhold, of Hershey, is a second-year food science major who was part of the team that created Yam Bam her first year. This food combines sweet potato and chickpeas and was the team’s entry in the Institute of Food Technologists Student Association and Smart Snacks for Kids Product Development Competition in Chicago earlier this summer.

Her team, made up of upperclassmen and graduate students, spent months brainstorming, researching and formulating a product that would appeal to children while also meeting the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Smart Snacks regulations.

Although Wetherhold’s team did not win, she said she was grateful for the experience and the chance to compete in Chicago.

“This experience helped me gain a clearer understanding of the career path I want to pursue, and I am especially grateful to have had this opportunity so early in my college career,” she said. “Through this competition, I have truly been encouraged to continue building my knowledge within each aspect of food science and to continue getting involved.”

Stephanie Read, of Topsfield, Massachusetts, is a second-year food science major who was on the team that created Boocha Boost, a caffeinated kombucha beverage fermented with honey and flavored with lemon, lavender and ginger.

Read’s team earned first place in the National Honey Board Product Development Competition, earning a $5,000 team award and helping her develop a deeper appreciation for her major.

“It was a valuable experience to see firsthand everything that goes into product development,” she said. “Sometimes people don’t understand that there are so many things involved in the process, including food safety, the ingredients, trial and error, and the business and marketing side.”

Although Wetherhold and Read said they are glad they joined the contests as first-year students, they also knew they were in for a challenge, working alongside students with more education and experience.

“I felt a little intimidated at first, but the other students were totally OK with that,” Read said. “They were super inviting, teaching me along the way and allowing me to do what I could, while helping me with what I could not.”

John Coupland, professor of food science and the undergraduate program coordinator, said he encourages students to get involved early, whether they plan to pursue product development or something else.

“These contests are a really good opportunity to work with others, to make connections, and to take responsibility for solving problems,” he said. “Working on projects like this gives them the confidence to tackle other tasks later on.”

Coupland is an Institute of Food Technologists member and past president and said the association is a great place to build skills and network with other food science majors worldwide.

Brian Adair, undergraduate program support, said the department has been intentional about getting younger students involved with extracurricular activities and contests. He also is a co-adviser of the Food Science Club. Ideally, he said he likes to see a mix of younger students and upperclassmen, as well as graduate research students.

“We’ve made changes to the team selection process to help make the competition more approachable for them,” Adair said. “I want our first-year students to be confident in their participation and the way they approach product research.”

In addition to product development, these activities expose students to careers in quality assurance and food marketing, he said.

“Our program tries to mimic the landscape of the food industry,” he said. “Our major is a microcosm of how the industry actually functions, and our students leave with skills and networking that will last a lifetime.”

Wetherhold said first-year students can contribute more than they realize, and being a member of the team helped her realize her full potential. She’s looking forward to next year’s contest and hoping to improve on this year’s results.

“On the bus ride home, we were already thinking of what we might do differently next year,” she said. “I have such a better understanding of the food science industry as a result of this experience, and I made connections that could easily last into my career.”

Read said students like her may have an impression of what food science entails, but these experiences help broaden their perspective. She found herself especially interested in the business side of product development, and she encourages other first-year students to take initiative and get involved.

“It can seem nerve-wracking at first, but it’s only going to help you going forward,” she said. “The students and faculty here are very welcoming and encouraging, and they want to see you succeed.”