The competition, which aims to promote innovation, creativity and sustainability, is open to teams of undergraduate or postgraduate students, including teams from different universities on industrial placements.
Shortlisted students will be invited to pitch on 5 June 2018 to the ‘dragons’, a panel of food industry specialists which will include representatives from Marks & Spencer, Coca-Cola, Food Manufacture, Mondelez, PepsiCo, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Unilever and Warburtons.
Winners will be announced the following day and will go forward to represent the UK at the European final in October 2018 at SIAL in Paris, France.
Last year a team from University of Reading scooped the silver prize at the finals for their veggie sushi-style rolls packed with locally sources vegetables, including crunchy cauliflower rice.
Andrew Gardner, operations director at IFST, the competition's co-organisers, said: “Ecotrophelia UK provides an excellent opportunity for students to showcase their talent and gain an insight into the whole food and drink industry, from product development through to marketing and finance.
“They are our future food scientists and technologists and this experience will be invaluable for their careers in the industry.”
Teams must have a minimum of two and maximum of ten students, all of whom must be 35 years or under on the day of the UK competition.
Entries close on 28 March.