Institute of Food Technologists

Food Communicators

In April 2016, Dr. Van Buiten was chosen to participate in the Institute of Food Technologists' Food Communicators Workshop at the IFT Headquarters in Chicago, IL. With increasing interest in food, many non-scientists lack the resources to understand food science and many of the topics that we deal with on a regular basis. This workshop helped all participants develop skills to talk to non-scientists about what food scientists do, as well as how to use social media to develop a relationship with consumers and help convey information more effectively.

Product Development

In 2016, Dr. Van Buiten and some fellow graduate students competed in the final round of the IFT's Product Development competition sponsored by Disney, which focused on developing healthy snacks for children with a Disney character theme. Their product, Rey's Rations: Jakku Juice Orbs featured orbs of strawberry and orange juices suspended in apple juice. Eaten with a spoon, these orbs contained two servings of fruit and one serving of vegetables per serving. They were awarded first place for this product after writing a technical report and giving a presentation to a panel of judges on the IFT Expo floor.