Two University of Alberta Nutrition and Food Science students who created a unique gluten-free liquid pizza dough took home the first place prize at the recent 2013 Mission ImPULSEible student food product development competition, held on March 25, 2013, at NAIT’s Ernest’s Dining Room.

Chizza, a pizza dough made with chickpea flour and a few other simple ingredients, is unlike anything currently available in the market – a fact that contributed to the team’s win, according to Leanne Fischbuch, Executive Director of Alberta Pulse Growers.

“This liquid pizza dough demonstrated a level of innovation that impressed the judges,” said Fischbuch. “The team did their market research and developed a product that met a real need for home cooks – an easy, healthy, delicious pizza dough.”

Teammates Karen Ting and Anastassia Astrakhantseva developed the dough in liquid form to allow it to be stored in and poured from a carton like that for milk or juice. After the dough is poured into a pizza pan and baked, the thin crust can be topped like a traditional pizza, with beans blended into the tomato sauce, and baked again until the cheese melts. Its ease in preparation, as well as its simple, wholesome ingredients, helped Chizza edge out the other competitors for the win.

“Every year, we see an incredible array of inventive food products made with pulses and pulse fractions from the students who participate in Mission ImPULSEible,” said Fischbuch. “This competition truly shows the potential for pulses in food product development.”

Other products presented by University of Alberta and NAIT students included a French fry alternative made with chickpea flour; a frozen crepe made with lentil flour; a gluten-free, dairy-free ice cream sandwich made with chickpea flour; a granola cluster cereal made with white bean flakes, split red lentils, and pea fibre; and a pea pudding made with pea protein and lentil flour.

In addition to a monetary prize of $1,000 for winning, the Chizza team will be representing Alberta at the national Mission ImPULSEible competition, held at the Canadian Special Crops Association Convention in Calgary in June 2013. There is also a unique opportunity for Chizza and some of the other products to be developed further under the guidance of scientists at the Food Processing Development Centre in Leduc.

The Mission ImPULSEible student food product development competition is offered by Alberta Pulse Growers and Pulse Canada to showcase the versatility of whole pulses and pulse ingredients, including dried peas, chickpeas, beans, faba beans, and lentils. The competitors were assessed by an expert panel of judges, including Troy Sturzenegger, Food Processing Development Centre; Jeff Doucette, Field Agent Canada; Mike Pedersen, Save-On Foods; and Kelsey Masciola, Revive Wellness. The competition and food product development is possible with the support of NAIT and of the Governments of Canada and Alberta through the Growing Forward Business Management Grants.