Team Rescue: Upcycled Tomatoes

Members of team rescue with their products developed for their FOSC311 project

Team Rescue is a student project conducted as part of the Food Product Development (FOSC311) course in the Department of Food Science. The premise of this course is for students to work in teams with an industry sponsor to overcome a problem or aid a project that the company is trying to pursue. Team Rescue, made up of five students, Connor Putnam; Beth Staples; Sarah Asmussen; Bex Mosen; and Anna Chamberlin, were interested in pursuing a project that helped to tackle two big problems- food waste and food insecurity. The sponsor of this project, New Zealand Food Network, are a not for profit who distribute bulk surplus and donated goods to food hubs around the country helping to feed food insecure New Zealanders. A challenge they face is how to distribute gluts of fresh produce before it reaches the end of its shelf life- this is where Team Rescue comes in. The team’s task is to develop an upcycled food product using surplus tomatoes and apples with the aim of extending shelf life and reducing the logistical issues of distributing fresh food- making sure these items end up in the bellies of those who need them most.

The team developed both a tomato paste and apple crisps.

“These two concepts were the most effective at achieving the characteristics that were most important; simplicity, flexibility, and practicality. The processes each product undergoes are simple. The concepts can be easily upscaled and use general processing machinery found in most manufacturing facilities. The processing creates a non-refrigerated shelf-stable product while reducing the volume for food banks, allowing more storage in their facilities. The final product is wholesome, nutritious, and shelf-stable. End consumers can use the tomato-based sauce in various recipes, and the apple rings provide nutrients to school lunchboxes. “ - Connor Putnam

Connor and the team got to showcase their product at Food Waste Innovation’s Upcycled Food Dining Experience’ in July 2021. Their tomato past was incorporated in the main course by the talented chefs from Everybody Eats.