Feeding a growing global population is one of the most pressing challenges today, and the food industry depends on innovation to meet that demand. In April 2026, students in Centennial College’s Food Science Technology program in Toronto applied their skills at the latest Food Product Development Showcase. The capstone competition brought together nine teams of students. In the time leading up to the competition, each team would develop an original food product, applying food formulation, testing, and product development methods.
At the competition, the teams then had 10 minutes to present their concept. Judges from both the industry and the college, including course professor Dr. Kayode Oduse, then evaluated each product. At the end of the event, scores were reviewed and the top teams with the most innovative products were selected.
The showcase reflects Centennial College’s focus on hands-on, industry-aligned learning in its programs. Across both the first- and second-place teams, students pointed to the same strength: The Food Science Technology program gives practical experience that reflects real industry processes.
First Place: Centennial College Students Develop Plant-Based High-Protein Ice Cream
The first-place team, Five Points Foods, developed a plant-based, high-protein ice cream designed for the growing vegan and functional food market. The ice cream used silken tofu and banana for texture, along with pea protein, fava bean protein, and peanut butter. Together, these create a product that fills an important gap in the market. The team consisted of five Centennial College students, Cassandra Sisto, Andrea Collado, Sumanth Vemula, Sreevee Narammagari and Vidhi Dangi
For team leader Cassandra Sisto, this project was a key reason she chose the Food Science Technology program. “I came from a cosmetic chemistry background, and I just decided it wasn't really for me,” she says. “I had always had a passion for food, cooking and baking. When I came across the program at Centennial College, I figured that would have been a perfect match, and I can confidently say that I made the right choice.”
Teammate Sreevee Narammagari said the program helped expand her understanding of food systems. “Back in my country, my education was completely about agriculture,” she says. “I didn’t have much idea about how food is processed and developed. That’s what made me choose food science.”
Sumanth Vemula also connected his background to the program’s applied focus. “I did a bachelor’s in agriculture, and I was interested in food processing and packaging,” he says. “I heard Centennial College is very strong in practical learning at the industry level, and that’s why I chose it.”
Sreevee Narammagari described the team’s structured approach to choosing their concept. “We each came up with ideas,” she says, “selected three, and then chose one final product concept, which was the protein vegan ice cream. After that, we did a lot of recipe formulation, analysis and testing to develop the final product.”
Andrea Collado said the project closely reflected how work is done in the industry. “This project took a lot of preparation from beginning to end,” she says. “We had to narrow down our ideas and select one final product. We chose the plant-based high protein ice cream because high-protein products are very on-trend right now.”
The idea evolved as the team did research and refined their concept. “I was originally thinking of doing a dairy-based protein ice cream,” Cassandra says, “but after some research, I found a company in the U.S. already doing that. So, I pivoted to a vegan, plant-based version, and I didn’t really find anything like it in the market.”
The development process required several trials. “It took us three trials to finalize flavour, texture, and other attributes,” she says. “It’s not easy to develop something new, because you have to benchmark against products that are only somewhat similar.”
Cassandra also pointed to the leadership skills she gained. “I learned a lot about how to manage a project,” she says. “Dr. Kayode appointed me as team coordinator, so I learned how to communicate with the team and keep everyone aligned, especially in the lab.”
Second Place: Food Science Students Create Gluten-Free Plantain Empanadas
The second-place team, The IncrEDIBLES Foods, developed gluten-free green plantain empanadas, a frozen snack that aligns with the growing demand for gluten-free and global food products. Instead of the usual wheat-based dough, the team used green plantain as their base. This makes the product naturally gluten-free, and gives it a distinct flavour. Another five Centennial College students made up the team, Rodrigo Rodríguez, Daniel Jaya, Palak, and Taniya Salaria.
Daniel Jaya explained the idea behind the product. “In my home country, green plantain is widely used in many recipes,” he says. “I wanted to develop a product that could bring that ingredient into the Canadian market in a new way.”
Taniya Salaria explained why the team chose the concept. “We selected this idea because it was going to be gluten free,” she says. “We used unripe banana to make the dough, which made it something new and interesting for all of us.”
She also spoke about the importance of teamwork. “Everyone has different strengths, and we had to bring all of those together,” she says. “It’s like puzzle pieces. When you put everything in place, you end up with a complete product.”
When it came to developing the product, Daniel also highlighted the importance of consistency. “We had to do a lot of trials to make sure every batch had the same texture, aroma, and quality,” he says. “That process helped us work more closely as a team.”
Rodrigo Rodríguez described the project as a summary of the program. “This project is a good summary of what we’ve been learning over the past two years,” he says, “because we put everything into practice.”Palak, meanwhile, emphasized the technical knowledge she gained.
“We worked with the Canadian Nutrition Facts Table and did proximate analysis for carbohydrates, proteins, and sugars,” she says. “That’s very important for developing a real product.”
A Hands-On Program Built for the Food Industry
The Food Development Showcase highlights how Centennial College programs prepare students for careers full of innovation. Students move from idea to finished product, gaining experience similar to real-world food product development roles. From plant-based protein desserts to gluten-free snacks, this year’s projects showed both creativity and skill, and prove that Centennial College students leave with hands-on experience, preparing them for careers in Canada and beyond.
By Anthony Geremia