Food Science Team takes New Product to National Competition
Contact: Kristi Crowe; David Munson (207) 593-9295
Rich, chocolaty, decadent, and…healthy?
If you thought luscious fruit bonbons couldn’t be part of a health-friendly diet, think again.
A group of UMaine students from the UMaine Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition have come up with a snack that takes health food to a whole new level. Loaded with anti-oxidants and bone-building calcium, YoBon Berry Bites are delicious and good for you — a one-two punch that was powerful enough to place the student-developed product among five other finalists in the Institute of Food Technologists Student Association’s 2006 Product Development Competition.
Working with faculty advisor Denise Skonberg, a team of five undergraduate and graduate students including Jennifer Jordan, James Perry, Jason Bolton, Shari Baxter, and Kristi Crowe formed the first UMaine team ever to compete in the prestigious contest, going toe-to-toe with some of the largest food science university programs in the country. The team’s dark chocolate covered frozen blueberry yogurt-filled bonbons were chosen from over 20 new food products to go on to the second round of competition at the IFT’s annual conference in June.
The new product is aimed at a niche market of 30- to 50-year-old women, offering them both the healthful effects of anthocyanins from blueberries and antioxidants from dark chocolate. The treat is also fortified with calcium and vitamin D to counter the effects of bone loss. In preparation for the next round of the competition, the team is preparing for a large-scale taste-test that they hope will bolster their proposal for full-scale production of the product.
From processing to packaging, the team must be versed in every aspect of the product’s development, marketing and testing, facing industry experts who will judge their tasty creation against a broad range of criteria. The competition is tough, but the UMaine team is excited to move their product forward.
“We knew we had a really good, solid product, but we were shocked to be chosen as a finalist in our first year in the competition,” said graduate student Kristi Crowe. “This is a big accomplishment for the UMaine food science department.”
The upcoming sensory evaluation of YoBon Berry Bites is open to the public. The testing will be conducted at the Consumer Testing Facility in Hitchner Hall on the UMaine campus in Orono on Thursday, April 20th from 11-4pm. Women ages 30-50 are especially encouraged to sample the product and give feedback, as they are the target market for YoBon Berry Bites. If interested in receiving email about testing this product, please contact Kristi Crowe at kristi.crowe@umit.maine.edu.