A unique collaboration to promote innovation in food and beverage with plant-based proteins
DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences has recently announced the third edition of DuPont NutriScholars Award (DNA) 2020, a pan-India food science program that facilitates knowledge exchange and drives innovation among the country’s food academics. F1rstMR Business Analytics (F1rst) will administer the program as an execution partner, along with DuPont Food & Beverage Innovation team.
DNA 2020 invites budding food technologists from academic institutions across the country to put their knowledge and skills to the test in plant-based protein themed projects, centered around consumer consumption occasions. Winning entries will be judged based on product innovativeness, commercial viability and improvements made in taste and texture using one or more of DuPont™ Danisco® range of protein and functional ingredients during the development process.
The DuPont NutriScholars Award 2020 features four distinctive award categories:
- Convenient and nutritious breakfast
- Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) style lunch/dinner
- Healthier desserts/indulgences
- 4 PM healthy savory snacks
The DuPont NutriScholars Awards were previously held in 2017 and 2018. In 2017, the awards program encouraged the ideation of ethnic Indian food and beverage concepts, followed by a bakery food innovation challenge in 2018. More than 200 proposals were submitted, and the awards program mentored over 80 teams in innovative food product development and troubleshooting.
DNA 2020 will now reach out to more than 300 universities and academies across the country. The winning team in each award category will be announced in December 2020. The adjudicating panel in the grand finale includes industry experts from leading food companies, academicians, scientists, and DuPont representatives.