The Mizzou Dairy Products Evaluation Team competed in the National Dairy Products Evaluation contest on April 16, in Madison, Wisconsin, hosted by the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association. The team includes both undergraduate and graduate members, and is coached by Rick Linhardt, instructor in the Division of Food, Nutrition and Exercise Sciences.

This was only the fourth time in Dairy Products Evaluation Contest history that Missouri had the number one contestant (Sophia Sapp, junior, Food Science and Nutrition). Last year was the third time with Kevin Trieu, who placed first in All Products as a graduate student this year. Additionally, Sophia Sapp was awarded The Joe Larson Merit Award for demonstrating potential leadership, professionalism, mature behavior, and an understanding of the importance of the sensory techniques applied to dairy products. The contest has been running since 1916. Placings were as follows:

Team:

• 2nd place in Cottage Cheese
• 2nd place in Ice Cream
• 4th place in Milk
• 3rd place in Yogurt
• 4th place in All Products

Undergraduates:

• Cottage Cheese
  • 2nd place – Sophia Sapp
• Ice Cream
  • 4th place – Sophia Sapp
  • 5th place – Norah Pierce, senior, Food Science and Nutrition
  • 6th place – Marina Firman, 6th place, senior, Food Science and Nutrition
• Milk
  • 6th place – Marina Firman
• Yogurt
  • 2nd place – Sophia Sapp
• All Products
  • 1st place – Sophia Sapp

Graduate Students:

• Mehdi Hajikhani
  • Butter, 3rd place
  • Cheddar Cheese, 1st place
  • Cottage Cheese, 2nd place
  • Ice Cream, 3rd place
  • Milk, 2nd place
  • Yogurt, 4th place
  • All Products, 3rd place
• Kevin Trieu
  • All Products, 1st place