Clemson Team Wins First At Danisco Knowledge Awards

A team of Clemson food science and packaging science students brought home first place and a $10,000 prize in the New Product Contest of the 2012 Danisco Knowledge Award competition.

It was the second year in a row that a Clemson team won the contest.

The team created “Harvest Fresh Fruit Smoothie — Run Blue,” a nutrient-dense beverage that combines the benefits of fresh fruits and whole grains in a satisfying, comparatively low calorie, on-the-go form. With six individual servings per pack, the product was designed for people with busy lifestyles.

Team leader Zac Hopkins was primarily responsible for the recipe, including a consistent ingredient list and preparation process to ensure the final product could be replicated. He also performed an analysis to determine how much a manufacturer could expect large-scale production to cost. Other food science students on the team who contributed to the project were Alyn Boyer, Andrea Musselwhite, Gabrielle Gunter and Samantha King. 

Students from the Clemson packaging program found the perfect bottle for the product and designed the label to go on the bottle. Packaging team members working on the product were graduate student Dan Hutcherson, Katie Thackston and Josh Galvarino.

Another Clemson team placed third at the competition and received a $2,000 prize for their “Blast Rasmint Sorbet.” Food science students on the team were Courtney Chiang, team leader; Kristiaan Fish; Dorothy Kerrison and Christopher Milkhouse. Josh Galvarino was the packaging member of the team.

The faculty mentor for both teams was Marge Condrasky, a professor in the food, nutrition and packaging sciences department.

In 2011, a team of seven Clemson students also took home the Danisco first-place award and $10,000 for “Farmer Chad’s Very Veggie Dip with Gluten-Free Chips,” a healthful, portable snack offering a full serving of roasted vegetables and accompanied by pita chips. 

The Danisco Knowledge Award supports innovation at academic institutions and provides students an opportunity to apply the skills and knowledge they have learned to the demands of a real-world challenge.

DuPont Danisco is a global corporation that offers a broad portfolio of nutritional ingredients and solutions for food and beverage makers.