Two students in UW-Stout’s master’s and bachelor's in food science and technology programs recently were awarded for their innovations in addressing food waste and research in detecting foodborne pathogens.
Both are focuses of food scientists as they work to ensure a safe, nutritious, accessible and sustainable food supply. As the United States discards 120 billion pounds of food every year, while 48 million people contract a foodborne illness, graduate student Meghana Maske and undergraduate senior Lainie Carlson are helping to find solutions.
Maske was awarded third place in the Institute of Food Technologists’ Sustainable Food Systems Division and Fruit and Vegetable Products Division Hackathon, an intense eight-day competition this fall that gathered students from across the globe to showcase their skills and creativity.
Carlson received the competitive Wisconsin Association for Food Protection Scholarship. The $3,000 award promotes and sustains students’ interest in fields of study that lead to careers in food science, sanitation or food microbiology.
Maske contributes to meaningful solutions
Driven by her passion for food safety, innovation and sustainability in the food industry, Maske’s academic journey has been filled with challenges and opportunities.
At the IFT hackathon, teams were tasked to develop innovative solutions to address food waste in fresh fruit and vegetables, one of food science’s costliest and most environmentally impactful problems.
Maske and her team developed Okara Jerky, a plant-based snack crafted from soybean waste.
“This project was not just about making a product; it was about addressing the issue of food waste and showcasing innovative solutions,” said Maske, of India. “Competing alongside a diverse group of talented students from around the globe added layers of complexity and excitement to the experience.
“I felt a rush of pride when our hard work culminated in a third-place award. This recognition fueled my passion for sustainable food solutions and underscored the importance of collaboration and creativity in tackling real-world challenges.”
Maske has also competed in IFT’s Carbohydrate Division’s Fiber Hackathon, securing third place for her team’s high-fiber chickpea flour.
“The hackathons were exhilarating yet daunting. I found myself surrounded by some of the brightest minds in the field – students, scientists and industry professionals – all vying for recognition. Competing against such formidable talent and knowing that industry experts would judge our efforts made the experience both thrilling and nerve-wracking. Our awards felt like a monumental achievement, a testament to our dedication and teamwork,” she said.
Master’s Program Director Eun Joo Lee thinks the ideas and products generated at these competitions will help implement sustainable food systems. “Students who participate use skills, knowledge, creativity and passion to make a difference,” she said.
“Both competitions were incredibly demanding, pushing me to think outside the box and collaborate effectively with my teammates,” Maske said. “The challenge of creating innovative food solutions in such a competitive environment taught me invaluable lessons about perseverance, creativity and the importance of sustainable practices in the food industry.”
This summer, Maske was a food safety and quality intern at Bunge, in Danville, Ill., a global leader in agribusiness, food and ingredients. She received the UW-Stout Foundation’s Margaret Micheels Endowed International Student Scholarship and the Lida Jamison Scholarship.
Maske is proud to be one of four UW-Stout graduate students who earned the Wisconsin IFT Graduate Student Award, alongside Hope Lent, Celia Powell and Priyanka Shah.
She also received the Minnesota IFT Travel Scholarship.
“I am more motivated than ever to continue my journey in food science, determined to contribute to meaningful solutions that make a difference,” she said.
Carlson works to positively impact the industry
Carlson, of Elk River, Minn., believes that the food science industry impacts people every day.
“Food scientists help ensure every food product is safe for consumption and does not have any foodborne pathogens,” she said. “They also create the new products you see on the shelves. Every time you eat food that came from the grocery store, there has been a food scientist who has contributed.”
Carlson enjoys the creative aspect of the hands-on experiences in the university’s food science labs, experimenting on and creating new food products, analyzing attributes and learning how to solve real world problems, like detecting foodborne pathogens.
“Just recently, there were millions of pounds of meat recalled because of listeria contamination,” she said. “It is gratifying that I know how to test for listeria and how to prevent it in food products.”
Last semester, Carlson helped identify and prevent biological, chemical and physical hazards in food by researching Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point – a food safety measurement system used in every stage of the production process.
In Program Director Taejo Kim’s Food Quality class, students researched HACCP for dairy, juice, meat, poultry, seafood and low-acid canned foods, conducting hands-on testing in the labs.
Carlson designed an “HACCP Plan for Raw Milk Cheese,” cheese made from unpasteurized milk.
“Through many different databases, I found how raw milk cheese has six critical control points: receiving raw milk, storage of raw milk, salting of the cheese, fermentation, metal detection, storage and distribution,” she said.
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Continue ReadingCarlson was on the culinary team her senior year in high school. She helped manage the student-run hallway cafe. She also enjoys math and science.
“With my love for food, math and science, I thought what better career for me than food science,” she said.
When touring colleges with food science programs, none of them felt right, she said.
“When I came to visit UW-Stout, Dr. Kim walked a group of prospective students to the food science labs and showed us what his classes were currently working on. Being able to see firsthand how the program ran and knowing that UW-Stout is a polytechnic university, I knew it was the right fit for me.
“I chose UW-Stout because Dr. Kim is so welcoming and the classes are hands-on, and through talking to people in the industry, they are so proud to be alumni. It felt like they were talking about family,” she said.
Carlson will graduate in May 2025 and plans to work in research and development.
The Wisconsin Association for Food Protection is a nonprofit group that provides leadership in food safety training and education for Wisconsin food processors and aims at advancing food quality in the state.
UW-Stout’s undergrad program is accredited by the Institute of Food Technologists and meets the institute’s education standards for degrees in food science.
