From left, Evan Anderson, Sara Richert and Sean Anderson display Soy Sniffs, winner of the 2015 Student Soybean Product Innovation Competition at Purdue University. (Purdue Agricultural Communication photo/Tom Campbell)

A team of Purdue students who created a soybean-based air freshener have taken top prize in the 2015 Student Soybean Product Innovation Competition, sponsored by the Indiana Soybean Alliance.

The team consisted of Evan Anderson, an agricultural and biological engineering major from Churubusco; his brother Sean Anderson, a forestry major; and Sara Richert, a public relations/strategic communications major from Oak Park, IL.

The students will receive a $20,000 prize for their winning entry, named Soy Sniffs. A second place prize of $10,000 was awarded to a team that created biodegradable flower pots from soybeans. A total of 13 teams composed of 39 students competed.

“The Soy Sniffs team has created a unique product with real potential in the $8.5 billion for air fresheners and purification products,” stated David Lowe, president of the soybean industry group and a farmer from Dunkirk. “Every year, it’s difficult to judge among so many innovative ideas, and this year was no exception.”

The team placed second in the competition last year with an organic leather conditioner and polish they created.

Source: Purdue University