【武庫川女子大学】食物栄養学科の学生が考案した和サラダ3品が商品化され、発売中です。

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English below. 

武庫川女子大学とイトーヨーカドーによる「和サラダレシピコンテスト」（後援・協賛：株式会社日本アクセス、旭松食品株式会社）の入賞作3品が商品化され、10月末から関西のイトーヨーカドー7店舗で販売されています。

このコンテストは、本学卒業生の旭松食品社員の発案で昨年、「お惣菜」をテーマに初開催。昨年度は、「カラダよろこぶ彩りデリランチ」など2種の弁当が商品化されました。

今年のテーマは「和サラダ」。「こうや豆腐」か「その他の乾物」を食材に使用する条件で食物栄養学科と短大食生活学科の学生に参加を呼びかけました。20人から写真やイラストを添えたレシピが集まり、グランプリに食物栄養学科3年、小泉夏子さん、こうや豆腐賞に同3年、秦野紗都さん、乾物賞に同3年、石本絢菜さんが選ばれました。

小泉さんはレタスとキャベツのサラダにスパイシーなタコス風ソースを容器ごと振って混ぜる「タコス風SHAKE和サラダ」を考案。極小のこうや豆腐にソースが絡み、食べ応えのある仕上がりに。秦野さんの「タブレ風さっぱり創作和サラダ」は同じく極小のこうや豆腐を「クスクス」に見立て、大葉と枝豆で和の要素を加えました。石本さんの「ひじきの創作イタリアン和サラダ」はシート状のパルメザンチーズを載せて見た目も食感も意外性が楽しめます。

商品化に至るまで、食材や味、栄養価はもちろん、容器やイラストまで複数の人が関わって試作と試食を繰り返しました。小泉さんは「キャベツの切り方にもいろいろな提案をしてくれて、一つの商品ができるまで大変な過程があるのを知りました」、石本さんは「赤や紫の野菜を加えて彩りを改善したり、汁気がたまらない容器を選んだり。パックに入った完成形を見た時はこれが店に並ぶんだ、と実感しました」。秦野さんは発売後、売り場の様子が気になってイトーヨーカドー甲子園店を朝夕、のぞいたそう。「お客さんが商品をかごに入れるのを見てうれしかった。2度めに行くとさらに売れていました」と笑顔で報告しました。

管理栄養士の資格取得の先に、「公務員」「企業で商品開発」「病院や企業で栄養指導」など、それぞれの夢を描く3人。小泉さんは「学生時代に商品開発を実体験できたことで自信がつきました」、石本さんは「企業の人が評価してくれて、新しい意見を聞く楽しさを知りました」、秦野さんは「将来、企業や保健所など、どんな職場でも献立を考える際、この経験を活かせると思います」と話しています。

Three Japanese style salads designed by students of the Department of Food and Nutrition have been commercialized and are now on sale。

The three winning entries of the "Japanese Salad Recipe Contest" are now being produced by Mukogawa Women's University and Ito-Yokado (supported and sponsored by NIPPON ACCESS, Inc. and Asahimatsu Shokuhin Co.

 This contest was first held last year on the theme of "side dishes" at the initiative of an employee of Asahimatsu Shokuhin, who is a graduate of the University. Last year, two types of lunchboxes were commercialized.

The theme was "Japanese style salad" this year. Recipes with photos and illustrations were submitted by 20 students, with Natsuko Koizumi, a third year in the Department of Food Sciences and Nutrition, winning the Grand Prix, Sato Hadano, in the same Department, winning the Koya Tofu Award, and Ayana Ishimoto winning the Dry Food Award.

Ms. Koizumi invented "Taco-style SHAKE Japanese style Salad," a salad of lettuce and cabbage mixed with a whole container of spicy taco-style sauce. The sauce is mixed with tiny pieces of kouya tofu, creating a satisfying finish. Ms. Hadano's "Tabbouleh-Style Refreshing Creative Japanese Salad" uses tiny pieces of kouya tofu as couscous, and adds Japanese elements with shiso leaves and edamame beans. Ms. Ishimoto's"Hijiki Italian Japanese style Salad" is topped with a sheet of Parmesan cheese for an unexpected look and texture.

In the process of commercialization, multiple people were involved in the trial production and tasting, not only for the ingredients, taste, and nutritional value, but also for the packaging and illustrations. Ms. Koizumi said, "They made various suggestions on how to cut the cabbage, and I learned that it is a very difficult process to create a single product," and Ms.. Ishimoto added, "We made improvements with the colors by adding red and purple vegetables, and chose a suitable container that would not allow the juice to pool up. When we saw the finished product, we had a moment of realization that this is what would be put up on store shelves." After the product went on sale, Ms. Hadano was curious about the how it's look in the store, so she visited the Ito-Yokado Koshien store every morning and evening. "When I went back a second time, I found that the product was selling even better," she reported with a smile.

The three students have their own dreams of becoming certified dietitians, such as becoming civil servants, working in product development at a company, or providing nutritional guidance at a hospital or company. Ms. Koizumi said, "I gained confidence from the hands-on experience of product development while I’m a student," Ms. Ishimoto commented, "I learned the joy of receiving feedback from people at companies who evaluated my work," and Ms. Hadano said, "I think I can use this experience in the future when thinking about menu,  including companies and public health centers."