Top UK food company Moy Park has recognised a team of food degree students from the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise Loughry Campus, for developing inventive, new poultry products as part of a food innovation competition.
A total of 60 second year Food Design Module students competed in the ‘Moy Park Challenge’ to create innovative poultry products that were cost effective, contained high quality ingredients, displayed good shelf-life, and had strong sustainable credentials. In a ‘Dragon’s Den’ style final, the teams presented their products to judges from Moy Park and Loughry.
The winning team entry was a slow cooked turkey leg marinated in Irish stout, chilli, garlic and ginger.
Stephane Durand, Head of Innovation, Moy Park said: “The standard of entries this year was remarkable. I was particularly impressed that the teams not only created great tasting, innovative products, but ensured that sustainability was at the heart of their entries. The winning product presented by the winning team was wonderfully succulent with great flavours – perfect to entice consumers - and demonstrated that turkey can be enjoyed all year round. Moy Park is committed to fostering talent in the agri food industry, and the Moy Park Challenge is a great way to introduce students to the fast moving world of product development, and helps to improve the skills needed to work in the food sector.”
The winning team, along with the runners-ups will now compete at a National competition, ‘Ecotrophelia’ organised by the Institute of Food Science and Food Technology and Campden BRI. The winners of this stage will then compete against European universities at the internationally renowned food exhibition show, SIAL in October 2015.
Derek McDowell, Head of Food Technology Education at Loughry Campus, commented: “Once again I am delighted to have Moy Park support this very important module. Moy Park have been very generous with their time, providing expert mentoring support throughout the innovation process and their involvement and encouragement is greatly appreciated by students and staff. With both the winners and runners up entering the UK heat of Ecotrophelia this year, we hope to build on the tremendous success of our Bronze Award in 2014.”
From L – R: The winning team, Hannah McCollum, Jacqueline Hunter, Brian McAlpine, Claire Wilson, Niamh McVeigh and Lisa Montgomery
