Six distance learning students on the Foundation Degree in Food Manufacture have spent their study week at Holbeach developing a new ice cream product.

The team’s task included conducting market research, developing a recipe, kitchen trials and then scaling up the recipe into full production, developing a manufacturing process flow, conducting microbiology assessments and outlining a cleaning procedure, costing the product, and carrying out focus groups and taste analyses with target consumers.

The team consisted of a mixture of new process and new product development students, and they were led by the University of Lincoln’s Linda McWatt in developing an artisan dairy ice cream, flavoured with locally-sourced elderflower cordial, which they would like to sell in farm shops.

The team also had expertise on hand in the form of Fiona Sutherland, Applications Specialist at Ecolab – which is an industry partner of the National Centre for Food Manufacturing. Fiona gave a seminar to the students earlier in the week about hygiene and cleaning, and said, “It is exciting to see them moving the industry forward.” Richard Ladbrooke, of Laddies Ice cream, also assisted with the development of the new product.

The students all enjoyed the task, and presented their new Elderflower ice cream to a panel of academic staff and industry experts earlier today. Student Shaun Tilney said, “The task has been challenging, but fun”.