A team of six food science students won second place in the annual Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Student Association Mars Product Development Competition held virtually in June. The Cal Poly team was one of six teams from colleges throughout the country including Cornell University and University of Wisconsin-Madison to compete — challenged to develop a new food idea and carry the concept through marketing and production, much like a commercial product development team. The Cal Poly team created an Earl Grey special tea sauce that thickens when heated and thins when cooled to be used on everything from ice cream to crackers. “We were pleased to hear a lot of judges had great things to stay about flavor and innovation,” said Julia Zoe, a food science senior. “One judge said that they purchased ice cream and ate our sauce all week. It felt good to know that the product we had been working on for months was one that people enjoyed.” It is the first time a Cal Poly team, which was advised by Professor Samir Amin, has placed in the competition.