Visitors try new food creations from students from the UCSI University Faculty of Applied Sciences during the Malaysian Internatio​nal Food and Beverage Fair at the Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur.

Visitors try new food creations from students from the UCSI University Faculty of Applied Sciences during the Malaysian Internatio​nal Food and Beverage Fair at the Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur.

Kuala Lumpur, 13 July, 2011 - Students from the UCSI University Faculty of Applied Sciences are showing their food creations to the rest of the nation. Students recently took part in the Malaysian International Food and Beverage Trade Fair at the Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur to display the top four food inventions created by teams within the Faculty’s Food Science and Nutrition programme. With the theme of “Wholesome, Original and Well-balanced” (WOW) students were challenged to develop original food products that were both delicious and healthy with the potential for commercialisation. The fair was part of the University’s commitment to promoting entrepreneurship and innovation within its students. 

“This is to let the industry know that we are involved in food product development,” said Associate Professor Dr Hon Wei Min, Dean of the UCSI University Faculty of Applied Sciences. “We don’t think science students should just stay in the lab.” 

Prior to the event, 14 teams of students competed to develop the most creative and commercially-viable food products, with the top four teams winning the chance to promote their inventions to the public. The winning inventions included “Veronica Twist,” a red dragon fruit-flavoured pasta mixed with tuna and a tomato-dragon fruit paste, “Ori-fu,” a tofu-based confectionary made of tofu, avocado and roselle jelly, “Haloe Jello,” a cold soup made of konnyaku jelly noodles mixed with fruit and aloe vera, and “V’Mic,” a vegetarian snack consisting of potatoes, pumpkins, pineapples and other fruits and vegetables rolled into a ball and lightly fried. 

Ang Hui Shan, a second-year student who helped develop Ori-fu, said her team searched for an ice cream alternative for those who were either lactose intolerant or diabetic. She said the avocado provided the food’s creamy consistency, while the sweetness of the roselle jelly counteracted the avocado’s bitterness and tofu acted as a flavour absorbent. 

“It’s not too sweet,” she said. “Some people who don’t like avocado said they still like our product.” 

Kong Ann Nie, also a second-year student, was part of the team who created Haloe Jelly. She said her team wanted to make a healthy food that could be both a dessert as well as a side dish. With a combination of colourful fruits and the use of vegetable-based konnyaku noodles, she said their dish provided essential nutrients, was low in calories and required no artificial colours or flavourings. 

Overall response to the student products was largely positive. 

Shanice Liang Mee Sun, who visited the booth, said she especially liked the Haloe Jelly. 

“It’s quite interesting, I like that it’s decorated with colourful fruits, not artificial stuff,” she said. 

Allan Chin, another visitor, said he liked the V’Mic balls. 

“In Malaysia, when we do fried things, there’s a lot of oil involved, but these aren’t oily,” he said. “It seems that many countries are trying to go for healthier stuff.” 

The Faculty of Applied Sciences will display their food inventions again Sunday at the Empire Shopping Gallery in Subang for the Faculty’s WOW Food Fair 2011. The day-long event will feature food samples from all 14 student teams as well as games, performances and give-aways as part of UCSI University’s 25th anniversary celebrations.