Students from the two departments of the UP Diliman College of Home Economics (CHE)—Department of Hotel, Restaurant, and Institution Management (DHRIM) and the Department of Food Science and Nutrition (DFSN)—made their mark at the recent 18^th Manila Food and Beverage Expo (18^th MAFBEX) and the 50^th Department of Science and Technology Food and Nutrition Research Institute Seminar Series Undergraduate Research Competition (50^th DOST-FNRI Competition), respectively.

Team Ayam Na! composed of DHRIM third year students Audrey Chan, Trishia de Guzman, and Kathleen Mogol were named champions of the Food Wars Asian Hawker Street Food Challenge at the 67^th Young Hoteliers Exposition Culinary Competition (67^th YHE) on June 16 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City. The 67^th YHE was one of the highlights of the 18^th MAFBEX.

According to the DHRIM Facebook page, the “innovative Indonesian chicken dish with coconut rice and pickled vegetables” of the team “impressed the judges and select audience members, besting 10 other hospitality and culinary schools participating. The participants were given one hour to prepare and present this elevated Asian street food masterpiece in night market style.”

Guiding the team were dedicated coaches Rosanne Nicollette Eleazar, an assistant professor at the CHE and Golda May Ranada, a chef lecturer, also at CHE. This was the first time in over a decade that a UP team participated in the MAFBEX.

Two weeks later, three research projects by DFSN students would place in the 50^th DOST-FNRI Competition held from July 3 to 4 at the Sheraton Hotel in Pasay City.

Nutrition Knowledge, Eating Practices, and Maternal Characteristics Among Selected Filipino Female Adults Under the Sandwich Generation by Alyssa Arnaco, Juan Diego Caña, Marc Ishmael Pulido, and Dominique Nicole Ricardo won first place under the competition’s Nutrition and Dietetics Category. Their thesis adviser was Maria Fema Aquino, an assistant professor at the DFSN.

Meanwhile, Detection of Honey Adulteration with C3, C4, and CAM Sugar Syrups Using Laser-Inducted Breakdown Spectroscopy by Jeremiah Abog with thesis adviser Maria Leonora Lotis Francisco, a professor at the DFSN, and Development of an Analog Meat Product Using Philippine-Sourced Elkhorn Seamoss (Kappaphycus alvarezii) Protein Concentrate by Elise Yabut with thesis adviser Mark Paulo Tolentino, a former assistant professor at the DFSN, won first and third place, respectively, under the competition’s Food Science and Technology category.—With reports from the DHRIM and DFSN