U of I food science students cook the competition at the College Bowl Nationals
A team of food science and human nutrition students from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign were the crème de la crème at the Institute of Food Technologists Student Association College Bowl Competition in Chicago on July 14.
The Illinois team defeated the University of California, Davis, in the final round to clinch its inaugural national title. What made the victory even sweeter was that the final score was 48 to -4 — the largest point spread ever in the finals, according to the event’s announcer. Department head and professor Nicki Engeseth shared the news in an email congratulating the team on its victory. The department is a unit within the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences.
“FSHN is so proud of this team,” Engeseth said. “Although just four competed in nationals, this has been a strong larger team effort. It has been exciting to follow their progress; they worked intensely as a group for this accomplishment. We look forward to celebrating their success in the fall when everyone is back on campus.”
The Illinois team was one of eight regional finalists to compete in this year’s national College Bowl tournament, an intense trivia contest in which teams of four students field questions on a range of topics, including food chemistry and analysis, food laws and regulations, and sensory science. The annual competition is held every summer during the IFT’s convention and expo, IFT First.