This exciting expansion to the Illinois Sustainable Food Project (ISFP) proposes adding equipment to an existing extrusion production line at the Food Science & Human Nutrition Pilot Processing Plant (FSHN-PPP). The FSHN-PPP has recently received an extrusion line with fluidized bed dryer that is intended for use in classes and research. With some additional ancillary equipment and money for installation, it can be used to create pasta, cereals and puffed snacks for use by Dining Services and others across campus. Examples of the products that can be made by this equipment include pastas, breakfast cereals similar to the common names you see in the grocery store, puffed snacks such as Cheetos or snack sticks, and many other products that require a puffed texture. Our overall goal is to provide locally-sourced, healthy, and nutritious product for UIUC Dining to serve to the campus population, while providing an educational experience to the student body.

Student interns will be responsible for the actual operation of the project, from planting, through harvesting and processing. Student employees in Dining will even have the opportunity to create dishes for their peers using our product, while working side by side with trained chefs. The completed product will be consumed by any student who eats in the campus Dining Halls. This extremely local source of food will be well-documented and advertised with the finished product. Additionally, any student who has a class in the FSHN Pilot Plant, or tours it through events like EOH/ExplorACES will have the opportunity to learn the hands-on process.