On a sunny 1 June evening, in the airy spaces of the magnificent new Ulster University campus in Belfast, four final-year students and their supporters mingled nervously with IFST and UU faculty members. Putting them more at ease, IFST NI Chair Dr Maria Mulhern welcomed everyone and introduced Michael Bell, Executive Director of NIFDA, thanking the NIFDA Trust for sponsoring the event. Michael persuasively argued that it has never been a more exciting time to be part of the food community. With well-paid diverse employment opportunities and job satisfaction in tackling highly salient problems affecting all aspects of society, the food industry, research and retail offer many rewards. Driving home the message, Dr Anna Monaghan, joint event organiser with Dr Ruth Price, detailed from her personal experience the considerable benefits of being an IFST member.
Maria then introduced, in random order, each of the four finalists, shortlisted from the applications received for the competition.
Sharon West (Cafre) described her work on testing the acceptability of folic acid fortification. Neural Tube Defects (NTD), such as spina bifida, are largely preventable with sufficient intake of vitamin B9 which requires food fortification as folic acid to be effective. Sharon had the idea of using yoghurt as the fortification vehicle. Sharon fortified Greek yoghurt with folic acid at 25% /100g and 50% /100g of the recommended intake followed by safety tests, taste panels and physiochemical testing. Overall, this research showed high acceptance of mandatory fortification and fortified yoghurt would be a viable strategy to increase folic acid intake.
Rachel Fleck (UU) presented her work on changes in eating behaviours following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery (RYGB). Rachel wanted to know why long-term weight regain after RYGB isn’t uncommon and investigated 16 patients (81.3% female) up to 5 years post-RYGB, to determine if early changes in eating behaviours (eating occasion size, frequency, and speed of eating) at 12 months post-surgery, could predict long-term weight regain. This fully residential study included covertly weighing food and the use of CCTV to verify 24-hour food intake and eating behaviours. The results indicated patients who reduced their portion size while maintaining the same number of eating occasions experienced the least weight regain.
Marta Marczuk (Cafre) discussed the incorporation of Brewers’ spent grain (BSG) in bakery products to enhance nutrition and valorise this often-wasted by-product. BSG is nutritionally rich, especially in fibre (mainly hemicellulose, cellulose), lignin-proteins, lipids, vitamins, and minerals. Marta incorporated BSG flour AT 10%, 20% and 30% into wholemeal scones and analysed their colour, texture, nutritional composition, microbial stability, and sensory attributes. This resulted in nutritionally superior products with higher dietary fibre, protein and fat and lower energy value. Marta’s quantitative research points to valuable use for this otherwise waste product.
Grace McGovern (UU) presented her data analyses of Food Portion Size Patterns within UK 5-10-year-olds from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS). Obesity is a recognised serious global health issue. Grace explained that obesity in childhood damages mental well-being and increases the risk of growing into overweight adults. Consumption of many food groups exceeded current UK recommendations. Grace’s findings imply existing dietary recommendations are inadequate and greater knowledge of the importance of portion size and how to calculate them is necessary.
The judging panel, Karla Bradley, NPD controller at Finnebrogue, David McCleery (AFBI) and Michael Walker (Orchid ID) faced a daunting task, while everyone else relaxed with delicious pizza. After deliberation, Michael announced Sharon West in the first place, with three runners-up, impossible to separate, so good was the quality of the research and presentations. The prizes were £500 for first place (with an additional £500 if employed within a food business within a year) and £200 for each runner-up. A year’s membership of IFST and IFST memorabilia were also awarded to all the finalists. Michael commended all the finalists, and their supervisors, for the clarity of rationale for their work, appropriate methods, the high calibre of their data analysis, including statistical significance testing, and the compelling delivery of their presentations. In concluding the formal proceedings Maria Mulhern thanked Anna and Ruth, the judging panel and all the participants, noting that the event demonstrated that the future of the food industry is in very good hands,
The evening concluded with presentations of certificates, photographs, and amicable networking. See the full album with photos from the day, below.
