Project SOY 2001/2002 Winners
Diploma level entries
Fuelling the Nation
Deep beneath the earth, the bodies of animals have become crude
oil. Their corpses are released into the atmosphere every day as we drive
and heat our homes, and greenhouse gases form a menacing cloud over our
lives. Global warming and non-renewable resources have been the problems
of the decade, but thanks to Jason McIntosh and Stéphane Bériault
there is hope in sight.
Bériault and McIntosh, both of Kemptville Campus focused on soybeans
and emissions when they undertook their Bio-Diesel project. Bériault
and McIntosh have found a way to fuel a tractor and reduce emissions without
using non-renewable resources.
The fuel can be used in unmodified engines with no reduction in horsepower---it
seems that a solution to the natural resource problem may have been uncovered
at last. For their efforts, the pair took first prize and $2,500.
Modestly, McIntosh claims that their new fuel “brings us closer
to self-sufficiency and a cleaner environment.”
A Canadian Snack with an Ontario
Twist
Canada is known world wide for its maple syrup; here in Ontario,
it’s soybean country. Susanne Lapointe of Campus D’Alfred
combined the best of our nation and our province in a tasty food for gnoshers
living both North and South of the Border.
Soy and Maple Treats (roasted soybeans in a blanket of handmade maple
sugar) are delectable handmade morsels that have been found by 84.2 per
cent of all testers o be either excellent or very good, says Lapointe.
She was the proud recipient of the second prize in the diploma category,
with winnings of $1,000.
Soy and Maple Treats have a potential to create up to 32 person-years
of employment in Ontario, claims Lapointe.
Soy
You Want A Healthy Dog?
Stacie Warren and Brittany Wagner take your dog’s health
to heart. Too many puppies’ kidneys are ruined before they reach
adulthood, because they’re rewarded commercial protein-rich treats
as praise for obedience.
People who love their dogs want to give them special treats; but, they
also care about their dogs’ diet. To help provide a nutritious reward,
Warren and Wagner have developed Soy Good 4 Dogs and were awarded third
prize and $500 for it.
Soy Good 4 Dogs treats “are designed to be lower in protein than
commercially available treats, as excess protein may have negative effects
on kidney function.” Wagner also points out that “they are
also low in sodium, high in beta-carotene and vitamin E.”
Undergraduate/Graduate Category
Something
Fishy Going on in the Soybean Field
Aquarium owners take heart—poor water quality and dreary-looking fish fins are now problems of the past, thanks to a little help from the soybean. Min Seok Chae and Vincent Sy emerged on top of last year’s Project SOY with their soy-based fish food and colorant. The duo took first prize and $2,500 for their work with African Chiclids, creating food formulas that both enhanced fish colour and maintained good water quality in the tank. Chae and Sy wowed observors with their tanks of brilliant fish. The Chiclids, vigorous and healthy after an eight-week diet of soy protein fish meal, were a testament to the benefits of soybeans. Maybe we could all use a little fish food in our diets.
Soya Pancakes Flatten
the Competition - and your stomach
Everyone can benefit
from healthier diets, but flavour frequently wins out in the battle between
taste and waist. A recent study by the Heart and Stroke Foundation found
that the Six Nations reserve in particular, was in dire need of major
dietary changes. In 2000 the Six Nations Agrigroup decided to use their
main crop, soybeans, to help their health. Three Guelph students, Kelly
Maguire, Troy Sturzenegger, and Janine Ewasko were ready to aid the Six
Nations in their quest for a better lifestyle. They developed Soya Pancakes
Complete Mix, says Maguire, in the hopes that it could eventually be introduced
into five major programs on the reserve: the School Breakfast and Lunch
program, Meals on Wheels, Seniors Homes, the Youth Home, and the Homemakers
program.
They took second place and $1,000 for their tasty and convenient mix,
providing a more nutritious alternative to current pancake mixes on the
market. The flapjacks have more benefits than just their low fat and high
protein content-- Kelly, Troy and Janine designed Soya Pancakes to be
accommodating to the culinary inept. All it takes is an “addition
of water, a quick stir and a couple of minutes in the frying pan to produce
a wonderful, low-fat breakfast."
So-Ya Need
a Fire, eh?
Campers that pack heavily when taking a trip to the woods have
Yuri Nakanishi, Joseph Vandenburg and Farhad Alibhai to thank for a new
addition to backpacks necessities: logs. And environmentalists have gained
a treeless method to create heat, with SOYA FLAME.
Made of an entirely renewable soy-based industrial waste product, SOYA
FLAME is a trademarked fire log that creates value from nothing. For this
innovative use of resources, the trio’s log received third place
and $500.
“It was critical that SOYA FLAME equaled or exceeded the expectation
of commercial artificial logs, in quality and performance,” says
Nakanishi. “SOYA FLAME can be used as a source of heat, as well
as create a cozy and relaxing environment in fireplaces, campfires, and
chimneys.”
