
Amidst wars, climate change, and the growth of the human population, not to mention the severe consequences of intensive farming, the basic right to food is far from guaranteed. There are 2.8 billion people who do not have access to the food they need for reasons beyond their control.
No individual can solve a problem of this magnitude alone, but everyone can make some change. On the occasion of World Food Day, celebrated annually by the United Nations on October 16, the School of Biotechnology at the Portuguese Catholic University invites all secondary school students to reflect on the relationships between food and the environment, economy, and health through this competition. Students are invited to create and justify a recipe that represents the future path for the feeding of all.
HOW IT WORKS
The first step is to define the team, which must consist of one teacher and 1 to 4 secondary school students from any area or discipline. Each student may join up to three recipes, but each teacher can guide as many groups as they wish. The group must choose a creative name and is ready to get started.
The second step is to design a central dish of a meal that is also healthy (Is it seasonal? Is it nutritionally recommended? Does it meet physical and emotional needs?), economical (Is it cheap or expensive?), and environmentally sustainable (Does its production contribute to soil fertility? Does it foster biodiversity? Or does it exacerbate climate change?) as well as delicious. The role of water must also be considered. Although the competition does not distinguish between soups, meats, fish, legumes, desserts, etc., the concept of the main dish is used broadly here: soups can be full meals, for example. The dish can be completely innovative, or it can be inspired by traditional cuisine. Additionally, it may have several components: if the dish consists of rice + cabbage + beans, the recipe must explain how each component is prepared and then integrated.
Groups will be evaluated based on how successfully they integrate the various criteria into their work. To stimulate innovation, in addition to the main prize (Recipe of the Year), four subcategories with their own unique characteristics have been created. Therefore, each group may also choose to submit their creation for consideration in one of the following additional criteria:
- Taste of the Sea (for recipes that value ocean-based food)
- Street Food (when food is eaten with your hands)
- Sci-Fi (food for the space age)
- Backyard (the best meal comes from your own garden)
After the decisions are made, the third step begins – the practical work. This involves actually preparing the food. A very important note: all the preparation must be done by the students, and this work must be photographed and filmed. The final dish must also be shown in photos: the completed dish and, in another image, the students tasting it. All of this will be considered by the jury.
Finally, it is necessary to write: in the online form, explain what was done and justify the choices based on the competition criteria. It is strongly advised to read the form questions in advance.
All dishes submitted for the competition are automatically candidates for the Recipe of the Year award. To be additionally considered in one of the subcategories, this must be indicated in the form. Entries must be submitted by the end of the day on December 1, 2024. The three groups with the best dishes in each theme will be announced on January 17, 2025, and will participate in the national final, which will take place on February 28, 2025, at the School of Biotechnology in Porto. A major new feature this year is that Chef Hélio Loureiro – whom we sincerely thank! – has agreed to be part of the jury on this day and will help choose the grand winners.
The registration form is available on this page: https://tinyurl.com/concurso-2025
PRIZES
The Recipe of the Year award is worth €250, and the winning group in each subcategory will receive €150. Both in the initial selection and during the final session, submissions will be evaluated by a jury of professors and experts in the fields of nutrition and food science, including human nutrition, food technology, sensory analysis, and food sustainability. The jury reserves the right not to select any proposal in any category if they believe the minimum required criteria have not been met.
INSTITUTIONAL CONTEXT
Food innovation is an area with great potential to impact the future of food and the companies involved, not to mention society and the environment. In the business context, food innovation determines progress in the development of new products and processes, in production, distribution, and overall management. The ESB – School of Biotechnology has developed a central focus on food innovation over the years, both at the level of specialized education and research. The primary goal is to prepare professionals to work in a variety of national and international markets, ranging from industry to consulting and entrepreneurship. All universities have the responsibility to actively contribute to the achievement of sustainable development goals, and ESB takes its role seriously by ensuring that scientific and technological knowledge in the field of food innovation is developed with an environmental awareness and respect for the rights of future generations.
FOOTNOTES
The results, including images, will be published on social media and by the press. Personal data collected in the context of the competition will be processed in compliance with personal data protection legislation. Both the text and the ideas, images, and videos submitted will belong to the competition's organizing team, allowing for the future publication of a book. Any questions or difficulties (including access/rectification/deletion of personal data) should be communicated via email to biotecnologia@ucp.pt. Participation in this competition implies full acceptance of the instructions above, including any decision made by the jury (which is final).
The results of the 2023/24 competition are published in this news article.
The results of the 2022/23 competition are published in this news article.
This action is supported by the Blue Design Alliance project, funded by the European Union (NextGenerationEU) under the Impulso Jovens STEAM and Impulso Adultos programs of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR). To learn more about the PRR, visit recuperarportugal.gov.pt.
