Students in the Department of Food Science and Technology will put down their test tubes and Petri dishes and pick up spatulas and baking pans for the Battle of the Food Scientists contest at 5 p.m. Feb. 28 at the Food Innovation Center on Nebraska Innovation Campus.

The cooking challenge was created by students as a spinoff from trendy cooking shows such as “Chopped” and “The Great British Baking Show.” The event will test the young scientists with their cooking, teamwork and problem-solving skills.

Teams of students must make specific types of food dishes within a certain time frame. To add to the challenge, a mystery ingredient will be given to the teams at the beginning of the contest.

Points are earned on the taste of the dish, creative and effective use of the mystery ingredient, and food safety practices during the preparation.

The judge are chef Paul Phillips from SchillingBridge Cork and Tap, chef Scott Keys from NuTek Food Science and alumna Ashley Mueller from the Nebraska Extension.

Games, food and a live stream of the event will be on the first floor of the Food Innovation Center.