A team of New Mexico State University students has been selected as one of top six finalists for an innovative idea was recognized as a potential cutting-edge dairy-based product for healthy heart and weight in the Dairy Management, Inc. New Product Competition.
Food science students Andrea Soler, M.S. (team captain); Joy Agbawodike, M.S.; and Alejandro Schutte, B.S., food science, B.S.; along with chemical engineering students Ashley Medina Cardona, B.S.; and Jazmine Arreola, B.S., earned a spot in the finalists’ competition in April. The group is advised by Stephanie Clark, affiliate faculty member in the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering. "I've had the opportunity to apply food science concepts in a real-world application", stated Ms. Soler.
Their creation Nuestro Corazón (Our Heart) has been selected from dozens of entries. "Reaching the top 6 is a reward for our hard work and interdisciplinary collaboration", said Ms. Soler. They will begin to fine-tune their product, along with conducting sensory evaluation and shelf-life testing. They must submit a full project report in March and give an oral presentation to the panel of judges via Zoom in April. The top three winners attend a conference, present a poster about their product, and earn cash awards up to $8,000.
Dairy Management, Inc., supports dairy research and promotion for farmers and dairy importers across the nation, (https://www.usdairy.com/research-resources/new-product-competition).
