Iowa State University graduate student wins IFT challenge

THE KIK-Food Stabilizer System developed by Hanyu Yangcheng, is a blend of natural hydrocolloids that adds body, provides stability, improves mouthfeel, and enhances sweetness in low-fat dairy desserts.

For this product, the graduate student from Iowa State University won the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Global Student Innovation Challenge sponsored by Tate & Lyle at IFT15: Where Science Meets Innovation in Chicago.

The competition required graduate students to develop an ingredient innovation in dairy desserts using one or more raw materials to improve texture, mouthfeel, sweetness, stability, health and wellness, and sensory properties.

The dessert concepts also had to incorporate an innovative food stabilizer system that delivers texture, aligns with consumer trends, and is fit for the mass consumer market and commercial distribution (grocery stores, convenience marts, and discount retailers), taking into account cost and availability of raw materials.

Mr Yangcheng received a plaque in recognition of his achievement and later this year will have the chance to travel and spend time at Tate & Lyle’s global Commercial and Food Innovation Center in Hoffman Estates, IL.

The IFT Student Association (IFTSA) is a forward-looking, student-governed community of IFT members. All IFT student members are automatically members of the IFT Student Association. IFTSA enables food science students to interact with peers at other universities and with working professionals and gain real world knowledge through a number of competitions held annually. (Yogurt dessert © Kuvona | Dreamstime.com)