Assam down town University successfully organised “Healthy Swap: Innovative Food Challenge” as part of Ecclesia 2026 under the Techno Management Fest 2026, organised by the Faculty of Science, the competition was held under the theme “Swap the Habit. Create the Change!”, encouraging students to explore healthier food alternatives and showcase their creativity, scientific knowledge and entrepreneurial abilities through innovative food product development.

The competition witnessed enthusiastic participation from 25 teams, presenting 25 innovative food product concepts. The participants showcased a diverse range of food innovations, including pancake premixes, breakfast mixes and other novel food preparations, reflecting their efforts to combine nutritional value, convenience, sustainability and changing consumer preferences.

The event was evaluated by three distinguished judges: Ms. Ruchi Nahata, founder of GharSa Foods; Dr. Archana Singha, founder of Granny's Grain and a food researcher and entrepreneur; and Ms. Junumani Ahmed, faculty member and YouTuber. Their diverse professional experiences brought valuable perspectives on food entrepreneurship, product innovation, nutrition research, functional foods and consumer preferences.

Ms. Ruchi Nahata shared industry-oriented insights drawn from her entrepreneurial journey with GharSa Foods, which has established its presence in the quick-commerce market through platforms such as Blinkit and Instamart. Dr. Archana Singha brought a scientific and nutritional perspective through her work in millet-based products, gluten-free foods and functional food development. Ms. Junumani Ahmed further contributed to the evaluation through her academic and content creation experience.

The judges interacted with the participating teams, assessed their products and provided constructive feedback on creativity, nutritional significance, taste, product quality, presentation, consumer acceptability and commercial feasibility. 

Beyond the competition, the initiative provided students with valuable experiential learning opportunities in food product formulation, nutritional assessment, sensory evaluation, teamwork, communication and entrepreneurial thinking.