08 Jul 2015

Calgary, Alberta – Intertek, a leading provider of quality solutions to industries worldwide, sponsored “Mission: ImPULSEible” – an annual food development competition organized by Pulse Canada; the national industry association that represents growers, processors and traders of pulse crops in Canada. The intention of Mission: ImPULSEible is to promote pulses as valued, healthy, sustainable and functional food products that contribute to global nutrition through the creation of innovative food products using at least one Canadian pulse (ie. peas, beans, lentils or chickpeas). The competition, aimed at post-secondary students, also helps build awareness of the 2016 International Year of Pulses. Pulses are Canada’s 5th largest crop and the country is currently the world’s largest producer and exporter of peas and lentils. Intertek’s Food and Agricultural Services team provided the six regional finalists with database nutritional analysis and nutrient claims, giving each of the students insight into the science behind food production and their creations. Theresa Almonte, Intertek’s Food & Agricultural Services Director of Business Development for North America also assisted in the judging of the competition at the Canadian Pulse and Special Crops Convention in Calgary on June 23rd.

First place went to Samantha Smith and Danielle MacDonald from Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Their winning recipe was the “Coco Bean Cake” described as a delicious, decadent, ready-to-serve coconut and chocolate cake, containing garbanzo and fava bean flour, pea protein and pea fibre; the frosting was made with a combination of coconut milk, pea fiber, and a few drops of stevia extract for sweetness. Ms. Almonte, later commented “Intertek is delighted to support the innovative efforts of these student teams. Their creative energy is going to help move the industry forward and we enjoy the opportunity to offer some training as they begin their careers. Mission: ImPULSEible is designed to raise the profile of pulses as a nutritious option and is a perfect fit for our Food & Agricultural teams to collaborate in support of the industry.”

The second place winners in the competition were: Gabrielle Edwards, Hayley Kumitch, and Khorametha Chiyarda from the University of Saskatchewan. Their Little Hippie’s Pulsiano Pizza is a frozen prepared pizza with a crust formed using a mixture of lentil and all-purpose gluten-free baking flour; the savoury pizza sauce uses a combination of tomato sauce and pureed kidney beans and the pizza is topped with vegetables and roasted chickpeas.

Third place went to Andrea Roman, Kaixing Tang, and Minghua Yu from the University of Alberta with their recipe for Peamon Tart - a bite-sized dessert featuring a lemon filling in a flaky crust that is made with a mixture of canned pulses including red kidney beans, chickpeas, romano beans and great northern white beans. Peamon Tarts are gluten free and the eggs have been replaced with the benefits of pea protein.

Media enquiries

Lee St James
Country Marketing Manager
Tel: +1 905.678.4912
Email: lee.stjames@intertek.com

Sales enquiries

Food Services:
Theresa Almonte
Email: theresa.almonte@intertek.com

Agricultural Services:
Deborah Pankewich
Email: deborah.pankewich@intertek.com

About Intertek

Intertek is a leading quality solutions provider to industries worldwide. From auditing and inspection, to testing, training, advisory, quality assurance and certification, Intertek adds value for its customers by helping improve the quality and safety of their products, assets and processes. With a network of more than 1,000 laboratories and offices and over 38,000 people in more than 100 countries, Intertek supports companies’ success in the global marketplace, by helping customers to meet end users’ expectations for safety, sustainability, performance, integrity and desirability in virtually any market worldwide. Visit www.intertek.com.

About Intertek’s Food and Agricultural Solutions

Intertek Food and Agricultural Services offer a full range of services from laboratory testing, cargo inspection, nutritional labeling and regulatory compliance, certification, auditing, training and related services. The team are experts in agricultural commodities, raw and processed food, feed, ingredients, and additives – Delivering global quality solutions to customers around the world. Accredited by the International Federation of Inspection Agencies (IFIA), Intertek certificates are recognized worldwide in global trade, including major trading houses, financial institutions, international food aid organizations and government institutions.