Shi Qi Tor

As a food technology undergraduate who is passionate about new product development and innovation, I am thrilled about the opportunity to participate in application projects while contributing my abilities and knowledge from prior internship opportunities and university projects.

Having recently completed my Bachelor’s Degree in Food Technology with Honours from Singapore Institute of Technology, I am equipped with the fundamentals of food science and food engineering, along with hands-on experience in industrial standard food processing plants such as FoodPlant. I have actively engaged in numerous food application projects that enhanced my knowledge of the development, processing and commercialisation of new products throughout my academic journey. 

In addition to my interest in food science and emerging technologies, I explore my interest in food independently through my hobby of baking. Through baking, I have gained knowledge of how different ingredients such as sweetening agents, emulsifiers and leavening agents affect the overall structural integrity and sensory properties of the final product. I am able to creatively explore and innovate new flavours using various ingredients such as experimenting with the flavour profile of bread. 

Through my past internships, I have achieved extensive experience in product development processes, ingredient characterisation and analytical methods of savoury and beverage products. 

During my internship at Ingredion Singapore Pte Ltd, I actively supported savoury application trials including instant noodles, salad dressings and various sauces including oyster, tomato and garlic chilli sauce. I also assisted in a shelf life study by conducting regular physiochemical tests using Brookfield Viscometer, pH meter and light microscope, to observe the long-term stability of the food product during accelerated shelf life testing. Additionally, I independently wrote a literature study on the effects of hydrocolloids on the textural properties of instant noodles and completed a project on the improvement of instant noodle dough sheetability during my internship. 

I also interned at the Science and Technology Department at Nestle R&D Centre, where I contributed to projects related to flavour and structural design on Milo, coffee and creamer. Aside from running benchtop and pilot plant scale trials using different ingredients to observe and compare the changes in samples’ properties such as stability, flavour and mouthfeel, I also conducted physicochemical analysis including viscosity using a rheometer, particle size distribution using Mastersizer, microscopy and sensory analysis

I recelty completed my Bachelor’s Degree in Food Technology with Honours from Singapore Institute of Technology, which equipped me with the fundamentals of food manufacturing, food safety, nutrition science and food product development. I have actively engaged in numerous food application projects that enhanced my knowledge of new product development. 

Throughout one of my final year projects, I gained extensive problem-solving and analytical skills while working alongside my classmates to develop a plant-based squid alternative, with almost identical sensory qualities to real squid. As this project was done in partnership with Roquette Singapore Pte Ltd, our plant-based squid was formulated using Nutralys plant protein with different hydrocolloids. After several reformulations and sensory evaluations, the financial feasibility and go-to-market plans of our product were assessed to ensure feasible commercialisation. In addition to honing my technical skills, this project taught me the significance of effective communication and teamwork in a product development setting, as well as the importance of aligning project aims with Roquette.