Alumni | “奇思”出“奇食”，“异想”放异彩
以泡菜为原料设计出适合素食者的酱料，这一出自广东以色列理工学院生物技术与食品工程专业首届本科毕业生陈嘉杭及其队友的产品概念设计被联合利华公司评选为“赢家概念”（Winning Concept）！在世界农业及食品领域顶尖学府瓦格宁根大学读研期间，陈嘉杭在课程研究项目中展现出的创意和实力令她在如云高手中脱颖而出，“奇思妙想”大放异彩。（嘉杭为图片右二）
陈嘉杭获奖奖状
嘉杭介绍道，产品工艺设计（Product and Process Design）这门课与联合利华食品创新中心（Foods Innovation Centre）合作，给同学们一个大主题，分成不同小组，大家设计产品概念并做海报展示。“在广以也有类似的课程，需要我们把自己的创意和设计做成海报，在海报展上向大家介绍自己的作品。”
联合利华与瓦格宁根大学有着密切的合作。2019年，联合利华对位于瓦格宁根大学的食品创新中心“The Hive”投资了8500万欧元，以支持它对植物性成分和肉类替代品、高效农作物、可持续食品包装和营养食品的研究。（资料来源：中新网上海）
她表示，亚洲饮食文化在欧洲很受欢迎，年轻一代也喜欢尝试不同的产品。于是她和组员们认为，结合欧洲的饮食习惯，将泡菜做成酱料可能会是不错的选择。“不过传统泡菜的研制会添加鱼露等原料，由于欧洲的素食主义者越来越多，我们就想用蘑菇或香菇等原料替代鱼露。这也可以缩短原材料运输距离，尽量降低碳排放和水消耗，让产品更加有可持续性。”
瓦格宁根大学
嘉杭从高中就对生物这门课感兴趣，在广以的四年里，她积极参加各类相关的实习和科研项目，学校瞄准食品领域发展前景、贴合产业发展需求的课程设置和丰富的实验操作体验让她更加坚定了继续在食品方向深耕的决心。从广以毕业后，她前往瓦格宁根大学攻读食品技术（Food Technology）专业硕士研究生，并将目光聚焦于产品设计和成分功能（Product Design and Ingredient Functionality）这一细分方向。
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“我选择的这个小方向选课比较灵活，除了一些侧重产品原料功能和消费者心理的必修课之外，还可以选择自己感兴趣的课程，像我就选了跟发酵产品、可持续产品和基础感官分析有关的课程。”嘉杭介绍道，瓦大充实的课程安排和紧凑的上课节奏与广以不相上下。“瓦大一年有6个period，一个period一到两个月，需要上一到两门课，所以上课也是‘倍速’上课。不过在广以四年的全英教学、足够的理论基础和快节奏的学习生活，让我非常快速地适应了这里，不会感到压力很大，还可以抽出时间来适应海外生活。”
嘉杭在海外旅游照
作为汕头本地人，嘉杭打趣地说恋家的自己从幼儿园到本科都在汕头就读。在荷兰这一年多，她走出了“舒适圈”，迅速提高自己的生活技能和社交能力。“在瓦大学习让我有机会在荷兰的公司实习，体验不同的职场环境。我很好奇在成员来自不同国家的地方实习与在国内实习会有什么不同。荷兰离周边一些国家比较近，假期抽出时间去不同地方走走是很幸福的一件事。我很喜欢去不同国家的博物馆，感受它们的历史，体验各种各样的文化。”
The product concept and poster for a vegan sauce made with kimchi, designed by Chen Jiahang and her teammates, the first cohort undergraduate from Biotechnology and Food Engineering Program of Guangdong Technion - Israel Institute of Technology (GTIIT), was selected as a Winning Concept by Unilever Research & Development! During her study as a graduate student at Wageningen University, the world's top university in agriculture and food, her creativity stood out in her coursework. (Jiahang is the second from the right in the picture)
Winner Certificate
According to Jiahang, the Product and Process Design course at the Wageningen University & Research collaborated with Unilever's Foods Innovation Centre. Students were divided into several teams under a broad theme to develop product concepts and make posters. "There is also a similar course at GTIIT, where we are required to turn our creativity into posters and introduce our works at the poster exhibition."
Unilever has close cooperation with Wageningen University. In 2019, Unilever invested €85 million into "The Hive", a food innovation center at Wageningen University, to support research into plant-based ingredients and meat alternatives, efficient crops, sustainable food packaging and nutritious foods. （China News, Shanghai）
Jiahang said Asian food culture was very popular in Europe and the younger generation liked to try different products. She and her teammates thought that making kimchi into a sauce might be a good choice given European eating habits. "However, traditional kimchi is made with ingredients such as fish sauce. Since vegetarians are becoming more and more popular in Europe, we decided to substitute fish sauce by mushrooms. It also reduces the travel distance of raw materials, minimizes carbon emissions and water consumption, and makes products more sustainable."
Wageningen
University
Jiahang has been interested in biology since high school. During the four years at GTIIT, she participated in various related internships and scientific research projects. GTIIT's curriculum aiming at the prospect of food field and the needs of industrial development with abundant lab experience made her more determined to further study in the food field. After graduating from GTIIT, she studied in Wageningen University for a Master's degree in Food Technology, specializing in Product Design and Ingredient Functionality.
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"The course of my specialization is flexible. Apart from some compulsory courses like Food Ingredient Functionality, Product Properties and Consumer Wishes, and Food structuring, I can also choose courses that I am interested in, such as Advanced Fermentation Science, and Sustainable Food and Bioprocessing." Jiahang said that the university's curriculum and pace are comparable to those of GTIIT. "There are six periods in a year. Each period lasts one to two months, during which we are required to have one to two courses. That means we are having classes at 'double speed'." However, after four years' studying at GTIIT immersed in its English-teaching environment, solid theoretical basis and fast pace of study, she adapted to the life in Wageningen University very quickly. "I don't feel too much pressure – I can even take some time to enjoy the overseas life."
Jiahang travels overseas
As a native of Shantou, Jiahang jokingly said that she was so homesick that she spent her time from kindergarten to undergraduate in this city. After more than a year in the Netherlands, she stepped out of her "comfort zone" and quickly improved her life skills and social skills. "Studying at Wageningen University gives me the opportunity to intern in Dutch companies and experience various workplace environments. I was curious about the difference between interning in a place where the members come from different countries and interning domestically. Holland is close to some of the neighboring countries, so I can travel around during the holidays. I really enjoy going to museums in different countries, learning about their history and cultures."
GTIIT
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文/图：陈嘉杭、GTIIT传媒与公共事务部
Text/Photos: Chen Jiahang, GTIIT News & Public Affairs
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