UDI Food Contest

UDI Food Contest

David Sparks Ph.D.
David Sparks Ph.D.
Idaho Milk Processors Association recently had a food contest up in Sun Valley and a team of food science students from Cornell University won the 2016 Idaho Milk Processors Association

new product development competition Saturday. The innovative students not only earned some serious bragging rights, but $10,000, too, at IMPA's annual meeting in Sun Valley, Idaho, for their grand-prize-winning new product idea -- Yojito drinkable yogurt.

But a collaborative effort by the University of Idaho and Washington State University took second prize with Custard Delights, a quick refrigerated crème brûlée custard. Comprised of 75 percent dairy, the all-natural dessert is lower in fat and calories than traditional custard, ice cream, and cheesecake yet doesn't sacrifice flavor or texture. Here's UDI spokesperson Cindy Miller: "Containing just six ingredients and nestled within a foil wrapper, the delicious dessert can be eaten straight from the refrigerator or broiled for a few minutes to caramelize its light, sugary topping.

Garnering third prize, Brigham Young University's team developed a new style of gnocchi, Gnocchi di Latte, which incorporates skim milk and milk protein isolate. As a result, the dairy-based gnocchi has

substantially more protein, vitamins, and minerals than traditional

gnocchi made with potato flour -- including 31 grams of protein per

serving -- in keeping with recent food-industry trends. BYU's new

gnocchi also has a quicker prep time than traditional pasta, requiring

only three minutes to cook once placed in boiling water. The new

gnocchi's formulation also boasts a shelf life of 12 months, a

significant improvement upon other options currently on the market.

Supported by the United Dairymen of Idaho and judged by leading dairy farmers and industry experts, the annual contest challenges

universities with strong nutrition and food science programs to create

the most promising new food product containing dairy ingredients.

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