Published by Communications and Public Affairs (519) 824-4120, Ext. 56982 or 53338
News Release
April 04, 2001
Edible packaging and udder balm capture Project SOY awards
Edible, biodegradable packaging and an all-natural lavender-scented udder cream for cows and ewes were the top winners in this year’s Project SOY (Soybean Opportunities for Youth), an annual contest for University of Guelph students to develop new uses and markets for soybeans.
The event wrapped up April 3 in Guelph with an awards ceremony attended by Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Brian Coburn. The minister, U of G President Mordechai Rozanski and Peter Hannam, president of First Line Seeds, presented the winners with first-, second- and third-place awards in undergraduate/graduate and diploma categories, valued at $2,500, $1,000 and $500, respectively in both categories. Seven student teams competed in the contest.
First place in the undergraduate/graduate category went to edible and biodegradable food packaging trays called Soylutions Inc., developed by engineering undergraduate students Marc-Antoine Joly, Eugene Mohareb and Phuong Nguyen. First place in the diploma category was awarded to Udderly Soyft, a lavender-scented udder balm that minimizes the spread of infection (lavender acts as an antimicrobial and seems to have a calming affect on the animal). The product was developed by Kemptville College student Jason McIntosh.
Second place in the undergraduate/graduate category went to food science undergraduate students Rebecca Paine and Catherine Schluter for paper products made from okara (soy byproducts). Third place was awarded to plant biology undergraduate student George Bassel and food science undergraduate Amy Proulx for FerriSoy, an iron supplement derived from nodules on soybean roots.
Second place in the diploma category went to Ridgetown College students Krystyna Czarnik and Alicia Gabourie for Soy’Perb, anti-perspirant products based on soy oil and soy flour.
Honourable mentions (and $250 cash prizes) went to the team of Meghann McLeod, Sarah Morrison and Andre McBride for a low-fat brownie snack, and to Jessica Hough for Catsoya, a tuna-flavoured soy milk for cats.
Project SOY was initiated in 1996 to harness the creativity of students in finding innovative new uses for soybeans, the number one cash crop in Ontario. Project SOY winning ideas in the past have included heart-healthy soy bagels, a coffee-like beverage made from roasted soybeans, and environmentally friendly soy-based candles.
Student participants in Project SOY who want to advance their products to the commercialization stage can now apply to the Hannam Soybean Utilization Fund (HSUF) for assistance. The HSUF is a $1-million gift to the University of Guelph from Hannam, an Ontario Agricultural College graduate who was instrumental in initiating Project SOY.
Project SOY is sponsored by First Line Seeds and the University of Guelph, with additional support from the Ontario Soybean Growers and Maple Leaf Foods International. Students at the University of Guelph and at its affiliate colleges in Ridgetown, Kemptville and Alfred are eligible to participate.
For media questions, contact: Communications and Public Affairs, 519-824-4120, Ext. 3338.
