WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind — Purdue University unveiled its own, newly-developed ice cream thanks to a team of students and faculty in the Food Science Department.
Students from the Food Entrepreneurship and Manufacturing Institute developed Boiler Chips, a new caramel chocolate chip flavor, and oversaw production of One Giant Scoop, using the original vanilla recipe from the Purdue University Creamery which closed in 1969.
"We actually came up with six different flavors," said Doriane Sossou, a Purdue senior who worked on the project.
Students taste-tested the flavors during student orientation and narrowed it down to the final two.
"My favorite part was tasting the ice cream!" said Sossou. "Every time we made a new batch, we had to test it and make sure it was the right flavor, the right texture. And it was very fun to work as a team together to come up with ideas to make it happen."
Purdue is partnering with Glover's to manufacture the ice cream from its Frankfort manufacturing facility. The eight-ounce retail cups will be sold during Purdue football games at Ross Ade Stadium and in the Purdue Memorial Union Boilermaker Market.
"This is an incredible experience for the students to be able to take the product from concept to commercialization within four months," said Dr. Dharmendra Mishra, associate professor of Food Science and director of the Food Entrepreneurship and Manufacturing Institute.
"It's one thing to read about all the different chemistry and analysis procedures behind creating food. You can read that in a textbook, you can take exams on it. But to actually do it hands-on and see those processes and see how different products come to life ... it's been really unique to see actually see it on the shelf and say I worked on that, I did that and it's something we can physically hold and try," said Madison Mehringer, who began the project as a student and has since graduated and works at Purdue as the Business Development Administrator for Food Entrepreneurship and Manufacturing.
A portion of Glover's proceeds from sales of the new ice cream flavors will provide funding to food science students for professional development opportunities.