KANSAS CITY — The American Society of Baking (ASB) selected teams from the University of Minnesota, the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Florida to compete in its 2021 Product Development Competition, a scholarship contest for students pursuing careers in baking, food science and food technology.

Under the competition’s 2021 theme — Sustainability: Caring for Our Future — students were asked to create a yeast-raised or chemically leavened bakery product that highlights an upcycled ingredient from an existing waste stream within the food industry.

In addition, the product must have a minimum 14-day shelf life at an ambient temperature. Entries will be evaluated on potential for scalability and success in today’s market. Judges also will assess how teams used technical problem-solving skills during product development process. 

The winner will be announced during the closing session of BakingTech 2021, ASB’s virtual conference scheduled for Feb. 16-18. Each first-place team member will be awarded a $5,000 scholarship while each second-place team member will receive a $3,000 scholarship, and each third-place team member will take home a $2,000 scholarship.

“We are excited to offer a meaningful way for students to test their talent, network with baking industry experts and discover the power of the industry’s biggest spotlight,” said Kent Van Amburg, executive director of the ASB. “This year, for the first time, students will compete in a very modern, all-virtual BakingTech format that will recognize extraordinary creativity and skill like never before.”