Mission: ImPULSEible competition crowns winners

Caileigh Smith and Evelyn Helps of the University of Guelph (CNW Group/Pulse Canada)

At the ninth annual Mission: ImPULSEible food product development competition, an innovative high-fibre meat extender was crowned national champion this year.

Called “Fiberger,” the winning entry is made from red lentils, green peas and chickpeas, and was created by Caileigh Smith and Evelyn Helps of the University of Guelph.

Mission: ImPULSEible is a competition that challenges Canadian post-secondary students to creatively produce new food products featuring Canadian pulses (peas, lentils, beans and chickpeas).

“We are thrilled that Fiberger was voted this year’s winner,” says Smith.  “We wanted to highlight the versatility of pulses by showing the average diet doesn’t have to make drastic changes to see improvements.  We believe that Fiberger is a convenient and innovative food that will allow North American families to realize this pulse potential.”

“Fiberger can be used in many different ways,” adds Helps.  “For example, adding Fiberger to patties and meatballs can reduce the amount of meat required, while adding fibre and protein to enhance the nutrition of the meal.  Fiberger can also help families decrease their food costs by giving them a healthy, affordable ingredient to add to their protein dishes.”

At this year’s Mission: ImPULSEible, 42 student teams from 17 schools from across the country took part in the competition.

“The 2016 Mission: ImPULSEible competition featured some of the most innovative products we have ever seen,” said Christine Farkas, Manager of Food Product & Culinary of Innovation with Pulse Canada, and organizer of the event. “2016 is the International Year of Pulses, and the students were encouraged to get innovative and re-create traditional dishes that wouldn’t normally be associated with pulses. They all rose to the challenge!”

Second place went to Austen Neil, Chandre Van de Merwe and Nicolle Mah of the University of Alberta for their Biotagelata, a gelato-inspired dessert made with fermented bean milk; while third place went to team Lisa Cook and Hailey Madill of Mount St, Vincent university in Halifax for their Vital Impulse Bar, a breakfast bar containing faba bean flour, chickpea flour and green lentils.