Students develop new food products for competition
March 31, 2006Contact Information:
Dr. Ron Buescher, Department of Food Science
479-575-4775 / buescher@uark.edu
By Fred Miller, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
479-575-5647 / fmiller@uark.edu
Derek Schadle, left, and Stephen O'Brien, both of Fayetteville, present their first-place entry in the University of Arkansas Food and Beverages Innovations competition to industry judges during the Ozark Food Processors Association Annual Convention in Springdale. Schadle and O'Brien developed an energy drink that avoids "sugar rush" and provides a sustained energy release.
Kenneth Over of Fayetteville presents his second-place entry in the University of Arkansas Food and Beverages Innovations competition to industry judges during the Ozark Food Processors Association Annual Convention in Springdale. Over and teammate Vishal Jain of Fayetteville developed a cilantro pesto sauce.
Ashley Swaffar of Farmington, left, and Valerie Brewer of Prairie Grove presents their third-place entry in the University of Arkansas Food and Beverages Innovations competition to industry judges during the Ozark Food Processors Association Annual Convention in Springdale. Swaffar and Brewer developed chicken-flavored noodles that can enhance the flavor of soups and other dishes.
SPRINGDALE, Ark. — An innovative energy drink that avoids the “sugar rush” while providing a sustained energy boost won first place for its developers in the University of Arkansas Food and Beverage Innovations competition held during the Ozark Food Processors Association convention March 28.
The competition is co-sponsored by the U of A Department of Food Science and the Ozark Food Processors Association, said Ron Buescher, head of the Department of Food Science at the U of A. Students from the U of A research and develop new food products and develop business and marketing plans for introducing them.
Derek Schadle and Stephen O’Brien, both juniors from Fayetteville, won first place for their product, “Skive.” The name is derived from an English slang term for “relax” and the product is described as “an energizing blend of fruit juices and green tea” that also contains soluble fiber to promote a controlled energy release.
Schadle is a business management major and O’Brien is a biochemistry major. For winning the competition they received a $1,500 prize.
Kenneth Over and Vishal Jain, both of Fayetteville, won second place for their sauce, “Cilantro Pesto.” Both are graduate students in food science. They received a $1,000 prize.
Ashley Swaffar of Farmington and Valerie Brewer of Prairie Grove won third place for “Chicken Noodles,” the first chicken-flavored noodles. They received a $500 prize.
The entries were judged by a panel of food industry professionals: Dennis Sanders of Tyson Foods, Keith Breidt of Wal-Mart New Food Products Section and Sarah Lanning of Consumer Testing Laboratory.