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U.S. crambe acreage triples to 60,000 acres

U.S. crambe acreage in 1993 istriple that of 1992, with com-mercial plantings totaling

slightly more than 60,000 acres.National Sun Industries this year

contracted with 417 farmers in NorthDakota and Minnesota to plant 55,000acres. In addition, the company con-tracted with 80 farmers in Colorado,Kansas and Nebraska to plant 5,500 to6,000 acres. During 1992. the compa-ny had contracts with 271 growers fora total of 20,000 commercial acres.

Production in the Northern Plainsarea will be processed at National SunIndustries' Enderlin, North Dakota,crushing facility. Crambe grown in theHigh Plains will be crushed at thecompany's multiseed Goodland,Kansas, facility that opened in 1992.

Curt Stem, field operations manag-er for National Sun Industries, credit-ed increasing grower interest to exist-ing demand for high-erucic acid oilsand the availability of seed. "Much ofthis is the result of word-of-mouthpromotion," Stern said, noting thatNorth Dakota State University, whichhas developed seed for planting, con-ducts field tours for growers toencourage interest in the crop.

High-erucic acid for industrialapplications in the United States issupplied by domestic production ofcrambe and domestic production andimports of industrial rapeseed. U.S.industrial rapeseed is planted in thefall and harvested in the spring, whilecrambe is planted in the spring and

harvested in late summer. An annualoilseed crop related to the rapeseedand mustard family. crambe containsabout 35% oil and 20% protein on aseed-plus-pod basis while rapeseedcontains 42% oil and 26% protein ona seed-only basis. However, crambeoil has a higher proportion of erucicacid content (55--60%), compared torapeseed oil (50--54%).

P&G to cut 13,000 jobs,close 20% of its plantsThe Procter & Gamble Co. (P&G) hasannounced it will close approximately30 plants-20% of its 147 manufac-turing facilities worldwide-duringthe next four years and cut 13,000jobs within the next two to four years.The company said it expects to decideby November which facilities will beclosed.

The actions are expected to resultafter-tax savings of $500 million forthe company by fiscal 1996.

P&G currently has manufacturingfacilities in 54 countries. with 98facilities outside of the United States.The company expects half of the plantclosings will occur in North America.Plants will be notified at least six to12 months before closing.

P&G said 6.500 jobs will be elimi-nated as a result of plant closings overthe next three to four years; theremaining job reductions will come

Crambe plants produce seed, yieldingoils with 55-60% erucic acid content.

from "organizational restructuring"over the next two years. The companysaid it hoped to avoid involuntary lay-offs by offcring voluntary separationand early retirement packages as wellas by cutting hiring.

Currently, P&G has 106.000employees globally, 58,500 of whomare outside the United States. Of thecompany's 14,500 employees in theCincinnati, Ohio, area, approximately1,500 persons are employed in manu-facturing operations. P&G has said2,000 positions in Cincinnati will beeliminated.

The company said it was taking theactions to stay competitive. Since1982, P&G has acquired 79 newplants and has closed 24, thus creatingwhat the company termed an opponu-nity now to lower product coststhrough consolidation. Also, recentmoves to global brands and commonformulas and packaging on a regionalbasis have resulted in economies ofscale and the need for fewer opera-tions.

Riceland to producerice bran oilRiceland Foods lnc., in cooperationwith two Japanese firms, expects to beproducing rice bran oil by the summerof 1994 at a new solvent extractionfacility to be constructed near itsheadquarters in Stuttgan, Arkansas.

INFORM. Vol. 4. no. 9 (September 1993)

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Riceland did nOI announce a pro-duction capacity for the facility. Anew media report in Japan said theextraction facility would process"more than 15.000 Ions of rice bran ayear."

Tokyo Oil Mills Inc. (TOM) willprovide technical assistance based onits experience with rice bran oil inJapan; ltochu Corpcranon of Osaka,will take the lead in marketing the oilin the United States. in Japan andinternationally. Riceland will supplythe rice bran and operate the rice branoil extraction and processing facility.Construction on the new site beganduring July 1993.

Total cash investment by the threefirms is estimated at $10 million byRiceland. The rice bran will be fromRiceland's six rice mills in Stuttgartand Jonesboro, Arkansas. Because therice bran will be processed whilefresh, a stabilization process will not

be used. Because of relatively rapiddeterioration of quality, stabilizationprocesses have been developed forrice bran that is (0 be stored for anysignificant period of time prior toextraction.

Rice bran, the outer layer of therice kernel which is removed inmilling to produce white rice. isapproximately 18-20% oil. Rice branoil has been a commercial oil in Japanfor some time, but has not been pro-duced domestically in the UnitedStates in sizable quantities. Japanesesources estimated (hat nation usedabout 50,000 tons of rice bran oilannually in salad and COOking oils.With demand for rice decreasing inJapan, the Japanese firms hope toassure a sufficient supply of rice branoil to meet future demand by Import-ing the U.S. oil.

Rice bran oil has attracted attentionin the United States during recent

years because of studies indicating itaids in lowering serum choles ercl.r ucing low- ens em morethan comparable vegetable oil blendswhile not reducing high-densitylipoprotein as much as the blendedoils do. Several studies have directedattention toward unsaponifiable con-tents in rice bran oil. Oryzanol, a com-ponent in rice unsaponifiables, hasbeen found in rat studies to be a factorin reducing serum cholesterol. Primatestudies have shown rice bran oil low-ered cholesterol more than vegetableoil blends with the same fatty acidcomposition.

Another fum that has been interest-ed in rice bran exuacuon. Food Extru-sion of EI Dorado Hills, California.has announced plans to hire process-ing facilities at a midwestern facilityto produce high-value components,specifically tocopherols andtocotrienols, found in rice bran oil.

Manufacturers of small scalescrewpresses for more than 50years.• Used for production of oil from

specialty oil seeds.• Suitable for laboratory and re-

search purposes.• Can be used for mechanical cold

pressing.• Available with crushers, seed

heating kettles and filter presses.

Spezialmaschinen . PressenGegri.indet . founded 1853

SMALL SCALE PRODUCTION OF VEGETABLE OIL

Head Office:Maschinenlabrik Reinartz GmbH & Co, KG

P.O. Box 100950Induslriestrasse 140-4040 Neuss 1, Germany

Tel: (02131)27 20 28Fax: (02131) 27 53 81

North American Office:274 W. Las Flores Dr.Altadena, Ca 91001818-791-7160818-791-0890

Tel:Fax:

For Information cIrcle .148

INFORM, Vol. 4, 00. 9 (September 1993)

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JFood Extrusion's interest in rice branoil has always been in the highervalue chemicals derived from the oil.

Patricia Mayhew of Food Extru-sion said the firm has further evolvedits rice bran stabilization systems todeactivate lipase activity while retain-ing tocopherol and rocoutenol activi-ty,

"We are gelling very close 10 aclinical study and expect to begin pro-cessing within 90 days," she said thispast July.

Stabilized rice bran will be shippedto the processor "in the Illinois area,"Mayhew said.

French, Italianoilseed acreage fallsFrench and Italian farmers havereduced 1993 oilseed acreage com-pared 10 the previous year.

In France. 1993 oilseed acreage isat 560,000 hectares (approximately1.4 million acres) compared 10 1992's662.000 ha. In Italy, oilseed acreage isestimated at 303.000 hectares(approximately 750,000 acres) fromthe previous year's 488,000 hectares.

French fanners cut oilseed acreagebecause of the 15% set-aside mandat-ed under the European Community's(EC) Common Agricultural Program(CAP). the better return for graincrops, and disappointing 1992 yieldsfor sunflower seed and rapeseed,according to a U.S. Department ofAgriculture report from Paris. French1993 oilseed production is forecast at3.6 million metric tons (MT). com-pared to 4.0 million MT a year agoand the record 5.4 million MT pro-duced in the 1986-1987 marketingyear. French oil production is expect-ed to rise, however. Reduced rapeseedsupplies elsewhere in the world afterthe 1992 harvest led to an unusuallylarge portion of the French crop beingexported, rather than crushed domesti-cally. Reductions in sunflower seedexports also are expected to meanmore domestic crush. The overallforecast is for oil production of onemillion metric tons compared to1992's 900,000 MT production.

Italian farmers were reacting 10 the

same changes in the EC CAP, whicheliminated support for double-crop-ping oilseeds, i.e., growing oilseeds infields from which another cropalready had been harvested.

Another factor was that during thelatter half of 1992, Italian farmerswere unsure how the CAP 15% set-aside program would be handled:most farmers planted their regularacreage and thus had to take the 15%cutback from spring-planted crops.This meant much of the acreage cameOUI of potential oilseed land.

The net result is that Italy's 1993oilseed production is expected to beabout 889,000 MT, compared to 1.3million MT a year ago. Conversely.oilseed imports are expected to rise to2.0 million MT from the previousyear's 1.7 million MT, according to aU.S. Department of Agriculture reportfrom Rome.

Total Italian oil production. howev-er. is expected to rise to 1.13 millionMT in 1993 from 974,000 MT. pri-marily because 1993 will be an "on"year for olives in that crop's cycle ofalternate years of high and low pro-duction. Olive oil production is esti-mated at 550,000 MT in 1993 com-pared 10 380,000 MT a year ago.

Italian soybean oil production in1993 is expected to be down about5,000 MT at 342,000 MT: sunfloweroil production this year is forecast at228,000 MT, down 2,000 MT.

Dutch crushingsreach new highOilseed crushings in The Netherlandstotaled approximately 4.4 million met-ric tons (MT) during calendar year1992, an all-lime high, according to aU.S. Department of Agriculture reportfrom The Netherlands.

The crush surpassed the 1991record high by about J 0.29'0. the reportsaid, primarily because the soybeancrush rose 11.2%. Soybeans, whichaccount for 82% of crushings in TheNetherlands, totaled about 3.6 millionMT in 1992 compared to 3.3 millionMT in 1991. Rapeseed and sunflowerseed crushings in 1992 were 314.000MT and 440.000 MT. respectively.

Other crushings accounted for 9,600MT in 1992. Comparable figures for1991: rapeseed. 317,000 MT; sun-flower seed, 370.000 MT; and all oth-ers.15,IOOMT.

Another increase is not expected in1993 because of reduced oilseed pro-duction in the European Community(EC). the report said. Oil mills inother nations will absorb a largershare of production, leaving reducedsupplies for Dutch crushers 10 pur-chase.

"Consequently. the Dutch millsmay have to concentrate on soybeancrushing despite the fact that marginshave become very tight due to heavycompetition from Latin America," thereport said. "Furthennore, demand forDutch-produced crude rapeseed oiland sunflower seed oil from the majorEC buying countries may drop furtherin 1993 onward. and a continuation inthe growth of demand for refined oilis questionable."

The result may be stronger effortsby Dutch crushers to export productsto nations outside the EC. but this maymean competing with subsidized oilsales by the United States.

The increased oilseed crush yieldeda record 987,000 MT of oil in 1992,the report said. The Dutch importmore oil than they produce, andexport more than they consumedomestically. Domestic consumptionfor 1992 is estimated at 1.3 millionMT. including about 447,000 MT infood, 483,000 MT in feed and299.000 for industrial uses.

Dutch industry vowsto cut energy useThe Dutch fats and oils industry hassigned an agreement with The Nether-lands Ministry of Economical Affairspledging 10 reduce energy use by 22%in the year 2000 compared to energyusage in 1989.

The agreement covers 29 compa-nies involved in oilseed crushing, ani-mal fat rendering. fats and oils refin-ing. and manufacture of margarinesand other consumer products. It is thefirst such agreement reached withinthe Dutch food industry.

INFORM, Vol. 4, no. 9 (September 1993)

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L NEWS

The companies expect most of theenergy savings to come from cogener-ation of heal and power (8%) andmanufacturing process improvements(5%). The firms said energy usagewould be cut 13% by 1995 and thefinal 9% by the year 2000.

The Dutch government will makethe industry eligible for financial pro-grams 10 stimulate energy conserva-tion. as well as help smooth relationswith public energy companies.issuance of environment licenses anddevelopment of new environmentallegislation.

The Dutch crushing industryaccounted for about 17% of the total1992 crush of 25 million metric Ionsin the European Economic Commu-nity.

Russian per capitaoil use decliningPer capita consumption of vegetableoil in the Russian Federation wasabout 6.5 kilos for 1992. compared toa per capita consumption of about 9.8kilos in 1985. according (0 a reportfrom U.S. Department of Agricultureobservers in Moscow.

The per capita consumption. asreported in Narodnoye KhozyaYj'/voRossiyskoy Federotsii 1992. was 10.2kilos in 1990 and 7.8 kilos in 1991.

Vegetable oil production was about775,000 metric tons in 1985. rose to1.2 million metric tons in 1991 beforefalling to 954.000 metric tons in 1992.Thc smaller per capita consumption,despite highcr production. reflectsincreasing costs due to inflation in theRussian Federation. the report said.

The cost of a kilo or vegetable oilin 1985 ranged from 1.61-2.84 rubles.with the lowest price at governmentstores; in 1991. prices ranged from3.17-12.24 rubles per kilo. And in1992, a kilo of oil that cost 12.24rubles the previous year in collectivefanners' markets was selling for 38.45rubles. Overall. consumer prices in theRussian Federation had jumped2,600% between December 1991 andDecember 1992. the report said.Prices paid to fanners have not risenproportionately. the report said. as

buying is still handled by monopolis-tic organizations.

BASF plans centerfor vitamin formulationBASF Corp. will establish an S8 mil-lion technical center for developingnew formulations for vitamins,carorenoids and other additives at itsheadquarters in Ludwigshafen. Ger-many.

Slated to open in 1994. the techni-cal center also will work on furtherdevelopments and improvements ofexisting formulation processes andproducts. Due to their low solubilityin water and insufficient stability, fat-soluble vitamins and carotencids inparticular generally are marketed asfonnulated products. most often drypowders. to be mixed into feeds. foodsor pharmaceutical products.

The investment in formulationtechnology is intended to strengthenBASF's position as a supplier of vita-mins and carorenoids.

1992 sales were about $3.9 billion in1992. according to Kodak, whoseoverall sales were listed as slightlyover $20 billion, including EastmanChemical. Eastman Kodak decided tomake the split in order to reduce theparent finn's debt and to concentrateits activities in the imaging and healthfields.

The move is expected to give East-man Chemical more independence."Our wings can flap a bit more freelynow," one Eastman Chemical officialsaid.

Praxair announcescorporate realignmentPraxair Inc. has announced a realign-ment of its North American corporatestructure into three business groups:merchant. packaged gases and on-site.

The change affects the firm'soperations in the United States,Canada and Mexico. Fats and oilsindustries customers should notnotice any change in their relationswith Praxair representatives, whowill be part of the new "merchant"business group. The firm announcedthat Thomas H. Cable Jr .• who hasbeen vice president-Europe willbecome vice president for the NorthAmerican merchant gases group.Praxair recently completes its firstyear after being organized from whatused to be Union Carbide IndustriesGases Inc. During that year it hasexpanded operations throughoutNorth and South America as well asin Europe and Asia.

Business briefsShanghai Nisshin Oil Co, sales areexpected to rise with action by theShanghai municipal government toremove controls on edible oil market-ing in that city, Previously the govern-ment set price limits for a minimumamount of oil per person. In line withmoves to establish a market economy.those restrictions were lifted as ofApril I. 1993. The change shouldmean an increase of about 14% in edi-

INFORM, Vol. 4, no. 9 (September 1993)

Eastman Chemicalto be independentThe decision to separate EastmanChemical Co. from its parent, East-man Kodak Co., is not expected toaffect the chemical finn's antioxidantbusiness. a major supplier of antioxi-dants to the fats and oils industries.

Eastman Chemical's line of Tenoxantioxidants includes tertiary burylhy-droquinone (TBHQ), propyl gallate(PG). natural tocopherols. butylatcdhydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylmedhydroxy toluene (BHn.

The spin-off. expected to occur atthe end of 1993. would involve issu-ing stock in Eastman Chemical toEastman Kodak stockholders in pro-portion to their Kodak holdings.

Eastman Chemical was foundednearly 75 years ago as a captive sup-plier to Kodak. but in recent years itssales to Kodak have been less than10% of its total business. according toan article in The Wall Strut Journalof June 16, 1993. Eastman Chemical'S

ble oil prices, according to new mediareports from Japan.

The office of the U.S. Council forCoconut Researchllnformation(USCCRI) in Washington. D.C.. hasbeen closed. Persons seeking coconutinformation should contact the UnitedCoconut Association of the Philip-pines Inc., 2nd Roor. PCRDF Bldg ..Pearl Dr., Ort:igas Complex. P.O. Box1724. Ortigas Center Post Officer.1600 Pasig, Metro Manila, The Philip-pines (phone: 632-633-8029; fax: 632-633-8030).

The Kuala Lumpur CommodityExchange. Malaysia. has delisted itspalm olein contract due 10 lack oftrading. The futures contract. intro-duced in 1990. had been dormantsince April 1991. according 10 TheJournal of Commerce.

Woodland Sunny Foods Co. in Sin-gapore, a subsidiary finn of Japan'sFuji Oil Co., has completed its sec-ond plant. The facility. which cost anestimated 111.4 billion (approximately$12 million). produces bechamelsauce for processed foods. In Thai-land. CPC/AJI. a joint venture ofCPC International and Ajinomoto Co.,has decided to build a second plant toproduce Knorr brand products such asboullion cubes. soup, etc.

Stoll Tankers and Terminals (Hold-ings) S.A. has changed its name toStolt-Ntetsen S.A. The change wasmade to reflect the company's growthfrom a shipping finn to a multifacetedbillion dollar enterprise involved intransportation, subsea services andaquaculture.

British Petroleum PLC (BP) hasagreed to sell its U.S. animal feedbusiness, Purina Mills Inc., to theSterling Group based in Houston.Texas. BP acquired Purina Mills fromRalston Purina Co. in 1986.

Linda A. Koffenberger has beennamed president of Amerchol Cor-

poration, a whol-ly owned sub-sidiary of UnionCarbide. Shepreviously wasworldwide busi-ness manager forUnion Carbide'sspecialty gastreating products

L Kaffenberger and services.She is a 1969

chemical engineering graduate of theUniversity of Washington in Seattle.Washington.

Henkel Corp. has acquired a 20%interest in Detatene Ltd. of Mel-bourne, Australia, one of the world'sleading manufacturers of natural ~-carotene, from Benehurst Ltd. of Vic-rona, Australia. Henkel Corp.'s FineChemicals Division has marketedBeterene's ~~carotene for the pasttwoyears.

Neal Craft has joined Southern Test-ing & Research Laboratories Inc. inWilson. North Carolina. as manager ofits food chemistry department.Mecpro Heavy Engineering Ltd. of

India has received an award fromIndia's Institute of Economic Studiesfor its innovations in design ofturnkey facilities for solvent extrac-tion of oils, vegetable oil refiningand vanaspau production. The awardwas presented during a seminar on"Indo-Nepal Economics Coopera-tion."

ErratumIn the report on the 1993 MississippiValley Oilseed Processing Clinicmeeting thai appeared in the May1993 issue of INFORM. a statementattributed 10 Monoj Gupta regardingsaturated fatty acid content of colton-seed oil should have read "25-27%saturates" instead of the higher figureprinted.

Borden Inc. has announced appoint-ment of Ervin R. Shames as presi-dent and chief operating officer.Shames formerly has headed TheStride Rite Corporation, GeneralFoods USA and Kraft USA.

Soaps andDetergentsTechnologyToday:An AOCS Conferenceand Exhibit

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Iowa State's new research center openThe Center for Crops UtilizationResearch (CCUR) on the campus ofIowa State University (lSU). in Ames,Iowa, was established in 1984 as theISU Food Crops Processing ResearchCenter. The name was changed in1988 to reflect a broader mission: 10expand the market for midwesterncrops by developing both new foodand nonfood industrial products.

Funds come from a variety ofsources, including special appropria-tions from the U.S. Congress and theIowa legislature, as well as grantsfrom commodity groups, public agen-cies and private industry. Extramuralgrants and contracts exceed $2 millionper year, with approximately one-thirdfrom private-sector contracts.

The center's missions are to devel-op new industrial raw materials fromcom, soybeans and alternative cropsby developing products, markets andprocessing techniques, and to improveknowledge of the basic propenies ofagricultural products and their compo-nents, particularly oil- and grain-pro-cessing techniques. The center's mis-sion-oriented programs incorporatevarious aspects of new product andprocess research. applications devel-opment and technology rrensfer. Theprograms focus on:

• Developing new products andprocesses to improve the competitive-ness of U.S. agriculture and toincrease the use of agricultural prod-ucts,

• Replacing petrochemical-derivedproducts with those from renewableagricultural sources.

• Biotechnological applications foragricultural products and

• Transferring newly developedtechnologies to U.S. firms that processagricultural products, enabling themto become more competitive in worldmarkets, thus strengthening the agri-cultural economy.

More than 30 CCUR scientists andengineers from 12 ISU academicdepartments are involved in more than60 R&D projects. Specialists inbiotechnology, food and organicChemistry, microbiology, food science,chemical and agricultural engineering.

INFORM. Vol. 4. no. 9 (September 1993)

:nwC.. forC,..U_". tA(CCUR) Ulit ••"ilGmvkt=pow.""' •... ..,nuf .. ~ A .. .,

and economics and marketing worktogether in a systems-orientedapproach to problem solving.

Interdisciplinary teams developbasic data on the composition andproperties of agricultural products.develop more efficient, cost-effectiveprocessing techniques and applybiotechnological advances to modifyand improve traditional and newcrops. These research findings areapplied to experimental testing. scale-up research and pilot-plant demonstra-tions for potential end-users. Otherworking groups conduct national andinternational policy studies [0 improveproduct development and market iden-tification.

The center encourages successfultechnology transfer to industry byusing state-of-the-art facilitiesdesigned to demonstrate "proof-of-concept" by up-scaling laboratoryresearch into commercially viable pro-cesses and products. The adoption ofnew technology by the private sectoris stimulated by CCUR technology-transfer teams who work with andsupport the effons of entrepreneurs.Several laboratories and temporaryoffices are available on a weekly ormonthly basis for use by industrialclients involved in cooperativeresearch projects. Patent and licensingpolicies are designed to encouragecooperation between CCUR andindustry.

CCUR faculty and staff are work-ing with several industrial finns inter-ested in [he different technologiesunder investigation. Finns thai havealready invested in these programsinclude American Meal Protein Corp.,Penford Ltd .• A.E. Staley Manufactur-ing, Grain Processing Corp., ArcherDaniels Midland. Pioneer Hi-Bred

International Inc., Kemin Industries.The Quaker Oats Co., Triple 'F'Feeds, Northrup King, Nichii Corp.,Novo Nordisk. Cargill, DuPont andSogetel.

In addition. CCUR faculty andstaff provide support services to facul-ty who are patenting or licensing tech-nologies or germ plasm. For example,soybean genn plasm having unique oiltraits-c-lew in saturates for nutritionalbenefit and low-linolenic acid for highstability-was licensed to Pioneer Hi-Bred International. The germ plasmresulted from original investigationsthat focused on understanding fauy-acid biosynthesis and control. CCUR-affiliated scientists also have filed fora patent on a means [0 direct fatty-acid synthesis, which could result inmodified domestic vegetable oils.

CCUR has pioneered ways to dis-tinguish com with high end-use value,especially lines possessing improvedwet-milling properties, and has devel-oped a rapid method to predict thewet-milling yields of specific lots.Grain merchants are offering premiumprices for corn having higher wet-milled starch yields. CCUR facultymembers are working with severalseed companies to develop new spe-cialty grain varieties as well as withgrain elevators to maintain the identityof grain with high end-use value traits.

In addition, related research hasidentified a com hybrid containingstarch with unique functionality. AnIowa corn wet-milling company isdeveloping applications and isattempting to commercialize productsusing starch from this com hybrid.

Another program has demonstratedthat blood plasma, a by-product fromthe animal processing industry, iseffective in replacing more expensive

•

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--,'. ,',:i;ilil

lows Stl'l Unhl8rslly'. Center for Crop. UtUlzIUon Re... n:h

egg whiles and sodium caseinate inbakery products. Significant expan-sian of the sponsoring company'ssales is attributed to CCUR researchthai led to an application of theproduct in a Korean seafood line.

Pilot plantConstruction on what is now knownas the Crop Products Pilot Plant beganin 1990; the pilot plants. laboratoriesand administrative and technologytransfer facilities were completed in1992. A new laboratory and officewing for staff and technology transferspecialists is nearing completion andwill be ready for occupancy this fall.

The 35.000-square-fool Crop Prod-ucts Pilot Plant is composed of fivepilot plants and four main laboratoriesfor specialized tasks. These are sup-ported by other laboratory, storage andshop facilities. In addition, CCUR'stechnology transfer mission is sup-ported by administrative personneland unique conference facilities. A6O-seat, specially designed theaterincludes panels that can be opened tofully or partially reveal workingdemonstrations in an adjacent pilotplant.

The 900-square-foot HazardousSolvents Pilot Plant is a state-of-the-art processing facility designed forextractions using up to 240 gallons ofhighly volatile and flammable sol-vents. It houses a Modular Pilot Plant

Extraction System (French OilMachinery Co .. Piqua, Ohio) batchsolvent extraction system andincludes an oil stripper for hexanerecycling and a desclvemlzer-toasrerfor production of meal for animalfeeding trials. This facility is envi-sioned as a cornerstone of CCUR'sinnovative soybean processing pro-gram.

There are IWO other research pilotplant extraction facilities in NorthAmerica-the Food Protein R&DFacility at Texas A&M University,College Station, Texas, and the POSPilot Plant Corp. at Saskatoon,Saskatchewan, Canada. The CCURfacility is specifically designed forbatch extractions that can simulatecountercurrent continuous extraction,especially suited to characterizing thepercolation and drainage rates of par-ticular lots. In addition, it can handlesmall size lots (20-60 pounds) withminimal cress-contamination betweenlots, making it attractive to commer-cial plant breeders. grain processors.ingredient suppliers and other private-and public-sector researchers.

For commercial oilseed processors.small-scale batch extractions are con-siderably less cosily than full-scaleindustrial trials, providing a cost-effective way to test new products orprocesses without interrupting theirfull-scale production systems.

The CCUR countercurrem extrac-

tor holds a maximum of 55 gallons ofsolvent, and. with one to five miscella(washes). it can be set up to simulatealmost any processing protocol andcan use all common organic solvents.It has the capacity to extract a maxi-mum of 40 pounds of flaked soy-beans. The entire area is secure forspill containment and has a spark-proof electrical service to minimizethe danger of accidental vapor igni-tion. An automated safety system con-tinually monitors the working envi-ronment for the presence or level ofescaped solvent. The room's safetyand ventilation equipment can be con-trolled to account for either heavier-or lighter-than-air solvent vapors.Directly adjacent to the work area islaboratory space for related prepara-tion and analysis.

Other equipment is available forsmaller volume and flammable reac-tant extractions. A laboratory-scaleextraction system can countercurrentprocess up to 350-gram flaked lots. Itis envisioned that both extractionfacilities will be equally dedicated toservice work for outside contractorsand in-house research projects.

Other oilseed processing equip-ment is housed in the 2,600-square·foot Dry Pilot Plant. This facility isdesigned for the pre-extraction andexperimental processing and scale-upof milling, dry separation, cooking,conditioning. extraction and extrusionsystems for grain processing. The areahas a specially integrated dust collec-tion system, and the facility isdesigned for ease of placement andredistribution of heavy machinery.The equipment includes cracking rolls(Ferrell-Ross, Oklahoma City, Okla-homa), multi-aspirator (Kice Indus-tries Inc., Wichita, Kansas), vibratingscreen (Prater. Chicago. Illinois). seedconditioner (French Oil Mill Machin-ery Co .• Piqua, Ohio), flaking rolls(Roskamp, Cedar FaUs. Iowa).expander (Anderson International.Cleveland. Ohio). screw presses (Han-der Oil Machinery Corp .. Ce Co Co ..Osaka. Japan. and Fuji-Bunka. Tokyo.Japan) and an oil refining vessel (Cen-tral Copper. Cincinnati, Ohio).

Additional com-milling and grain-processing equipment includes a sent-tury ribbon-blender tab balch mf xer

INFORM, Vol. 4, no. 9 (September 1993)

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NEWS

(Rapids Machinery Co., Marion,Iowa), screw feeder (Vibrascrew,Totowa, New Jersey), Fitz-Mill com-minuting machine (W.J. FitzpatrickCo .• Chicago. Illinois), extruder(InstaPro, Des Moines, Iowa), soy-bean extruder (National RubberMachinery Co.. Akron, Ohio), dry-com milling system (Witt CorrugatingInc .• Wichita, Kansas) and a disc mill(Glen Mills, Clifton, New Jersey).

Other facilities include the 5,000·square-fool WeI Pilot Plan! incorpo-rating a variety of wet-processing sys-tems. Steam. water and electrical con-nections have been designed to facili-tate the rearrangement and modifica-lion of processing machinery, teststands and related equipment. Thefacility has corn wei-milling (four-bushel capacity), brewing and foodprocessing equipment, including wet-grinders, kettles, evaporators, mem-brane filtration units, jet cookers, culi-nary steam boiler. retorts and mixers.Cold- and dry-storage lockers. a main-tenance shop. and offices for pilot-plant supervisory personnel are imme-diately adjacent to the plant floor.

The fermentation laboratory has

Lawrence Johnson (left)end Merlt Reuber IXlm-Inlng modular pilot pllntextraction IYltlm

equipment to produce industriallyimportant chemicals. genetically mod-ified microorganisms and enzymes. Itcurrently has 70-, 20- and l-Iiter fer-memers. and related computer moni-toring and analytical equipment.including high-pressure liquid and gaschromatographs. The analytical andprocess development laboratories areservice-oriented, with capabilitiesranging from analyzing grain or oilsamples to assist in detennining thelogistical and economic feasibility ofscaling-up experimental processingtechnologies. Nearby office and con-ference space is available for industri-al clients who oversee or conductresearch in the pilot plants and labora-tories.

The 3,OOO-square-fool TechnologyTransfer Pilot Plant is an industrialproduct and technology developmentfacility. A variety of equipment can beassembled for demonstration in con-junction with presentations in theadjacent technology transfer theater.The facility includes a plastic-film andsheet extruder, compression and injec-tion molding machines. fiber-spinningsystems and related material testing

equipment. This includes a Wabashhydraulic press (Wabash. Indiana).Boy Machine 20-ton injection-mold-ing machine (Exton. Pennsylvania)and a Brabender extruder (SouthHackensack. New Jersey).

Process and product researchFor the past six years. CCUR has beencontributing to the development ofcrambe as an alternative crop. Crambeoil is high in erucic acid, a high-valueindustrial material. Approximately60,000 acres of crambe are beinggrown commercially in the UnitedStates this year.

Goals of the crambe program arecost-efficient oil recovery and detoxi-fication of the resulting meal for usein animal feed. Faculty members areworking with National Sun Industriesof Enderlin. North Dakota. and aneight-state consortium to developextraction technologies that willimprove the protein content (mealvalue). remove toxic glucosinolatesand permit use of those glucosinolatesas an insect control agent. The workalso is focusing on seed dehulling andextrusion preparation.

Traditionally. the first step in usingfats and oils in detergents. paints.coatings and similar products has beento hydrolyze them to free fatty acidsand glycerol, usually by heating themunder pressure. A CCUR researcher isdeveloping a less energy-intensivenatural lipase bioreactor that can per-form this splitting at commerciallyviable costs. The process uses lipaseenzymes found in oat groats. Continu-ous product-recovery techniques andoat recycling for their cost-recoverysale as animal feed are being investi-gated to speed the reaction and toincrease cost-effectiveness.

Another project is identifying andculturing bacterial strains that couldbe used to process bleaching earth andthe fats discarded by the vegetable oilrefining and meat-packing industries.Related investigations are concentrat-ing on strains of bacteria grown onagricultural by-products that could beused to "seed" soil contaminated bydiesel fuel, crude petroleum and simi-lar pollutants and to reduce wasteproblems in grease traps.

Other researchers are developing

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procedures to enable elevator opera-tors 10 identify premium quality grain(which would allow farmers toreceive appropriate compensation)and purchasers of such grain toensure the identity and to monitor theintegrity of shipments of that grain.This group has pioneered grain-com-position testing for the marketplace,determined moisture-meter calibra-tions thai are now national standards.standardized sampling proceduresused by grain elevators and quanti-fied shrinkage factors for com dryersand handlers.

CCUR investigators have devel-oped a predictive model for use by thewet-milling industry for determiningthe wei-milling properties of com lots.In addition, the project developed lab-oratory wei-milling procedures toobtain accurate data for the model. Topredict the yields and purities ofmilling fractions, the test makes use ofnear infrared reflectance (NlR) andother physical propenies.

Center researchers are improvingwater extraction methods for prepar-ing soymilk and dried soy proteinproducts. The group's rapid hydrationhydrothermal cooking (RHHTC) pro-cess is an innovative means to deacti-vate ami-nutritional factors and theoxidative enzymes responsible for off-flavors while concurrently increasingproduct yields. The new process canrecover 90% of the bean solids com-pared to the 60% recovered by tradi-tional manufacturing methods.

RHHTC also improves water solu-bility, foaming and emulsifying prop-erties of soy protein ingredients. Thedramatically increased protein solubil-ity of soy protein concentrate and theslightly improved protein solubility ofsoy flour and soy protein isolate, cou-pled with the inactivation of thetrypsin inhibitors in the proteins. haveconsiderable practical significance.The process increases the nitrogensolubility index of alcohol-washed soyprotein concentrate to 56% from 15%.

CCUR scientists are collaboratingwith two other universities to developsoy-based adhesives for use in woodproducts. The researchers are examin-ing the roles of carbohydrate level.protein denaturation and protein modi-fication on the binding properties of

adhesives made from soy flour. Histor-ical use of soy-flour adhesives in chip-board and plywood has been temperedby product and bonding inconsistency.The research program is identifyingthe weak point in the molecular bond-ing sequence and testing soy-flour andsoy-isolate formulations.

Another project studies oat vari-eties as potential sources of antioxi-dants. Antioxidants are added to foodsto maintain taste and prolong shelflife. Oats are a natural source of thesecompounds. Different oat varietiesand solvent extraction systems arebeing surveyed to identify which com-binations of variety and solvent pro-duce the best extracts.

An economic and marketing analy-sis of the Japanese soyfoods industryindicated substantial and growingmarkets for special varieties of soy-beans that will yield increased qualityand quantity of soymilk and tofu. Thestudy identified trade barriers thatneed to be removed before finishedhigh-value soyfood products can beproduced in the United States forexport to Japan. CCUR also assistedthe Nichii Corporation of Japan in sit-uating a processing plant in Iowa toproduce edible scyftekes for the Asiansoyfoods market and in documentingthe benefits of Nichii's soymilk tech-nologies to its clients.

Another project is addressing theneeds of Asian soyfood processors. AsCCUR scientists determine whichsoybean varieties embody preferredprocessing characteristics and developmethods to quantify these traits. pro-ducers will be able to identify premi-um grades of foodgrade export soy-beans. Rapid screening methods formeasuring the potential end-use per-formance of soybean lots are beingdeveloped.

Replacing nonrenewable resourcesOne area of potential economic signif-icance is biofuels. A project to reducethe cloud point and pour point ofsoybean-ester and diesel-fuel blendsis well underway at CCUR. Thisresearch has resulted in a new tech-nique that could dramatically lowerthe temperatures at which these fuelblends begin to gel. An important stepin the development of a renewable

Ienergy source. this technology isbeing patented.

CCUR scientists have developed acorn fractionation process that willincrease the efficiency of ethanol pro-duction while reducing the energyrequired and increasing co-productvalue. In this process. feed-qualityprotein is upgruded for use in humanfood as well as in different industrialingredients. Oil is recovered simulta-neously. The process has attractedcommercial interest. but has not beencommercialized.

An economic-engineering comput-er model is being developed for thesequential extraction process. Thismocicl will be used to predict the tar-get yields of extraction products andprocessing costs. Computer modeling(as a cost-effective alternative to pro-duction-scale testing) can simulateany number of processing scenarioswhere the highest-cost steps can beidentified.

Thermally molded plastics haveattracted the attention of the U.S.Department of Defense and severalcompanies. An amendment to theMaritime Pollution Treaty requires anend to ocean dumping of nondegrad-able plastic waste. Fast-food establish-ments also are interested in such mate-rials with regard to recycling theirpackaging waste. This could be doneby grinding materials made from ther-mally molded plastics and mixingthem in livestock feeds.

Other efforts focus on the develop-ment of corn- and soy-basedbiodegradable materials thai can beused alone or in combination withpetroleum-derived polymers. Towardthis end. CCUR researchers are cata-loging the physical, chemical anddegradation characteristics of bioplas-tics made from com and soybeans.

Current industrial use of vegetablefats. oils and proteins in paints. coat-ings. plastics and other industrialmaterials is relatively small. At onetime. however. these products werebased almost entirely on them. ACCUR economic survey hasexplained, in terms of relative costand performance, the reasons why fatsand oils lost market share and thepotential for future recovery. Theimplications for producing specialty

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Applied biotechnologyAs part of the effort 10 modify soy-

bean, rapeseed and crambe oils,researchers are studying the biochemi-cal and molecular biology associatedwith triglyceride assembly.

Because different types of seed oilshave significantly different properties.commercial values and potential uses,a logical goal of oilseed biotechnolo-gy is to alter triglyceride composition.Two triglycerides of potential industri-al importance are trierucin and trilau-rin. Insight into the mechanisms thatform lriglycerides may be used togenetically engineer plants to producespecialty oils, specialty fatty acids andrelated compounds.

Controlling fatty-acid biosynthesiswould give genetic engineers thecapability to replace imported oils

(rapeseed, coconut, cocoa butter) withwhat could be less expensive, modi-fied domestic alternatives. CCURresearchers are investigating how dif-ferent enzymes in yeasts and in higherplants influence the composition ofdifferent fatty acids and lipids. Identi-fying the genes that control fatty-acidbiosynthesis may allow biotechnolo-gists to create oilseeds with unusuallipids of potentially unique industrialapplications.

Researchers are examining howone key enzyme controls lipid produc-tion in plant embryos as part of astudy to determine how to decrease orstop the actions of specific enzymes inplants. This work has resulted in thedetermination of regulatory sequencesthat act as carriers for the gene, ensur-ing its proper placement and expres-sion.

To meet specific needs in specialtymarkets, researchers are geneticallyengineering soybeans to produce high-er-value oils and fatty acids. In oneproject, researchers are reducing thelinolenic acid content of soybeansusing a traditional plant breeding pro-gram that relies on many of the newtechnological tools. Linolenic acid isthe source of many of the off-flavorsand unpleasant odors associated withsoybean oil. Several low-linolenicacid varieties have been developedand are in various phases of commer-cialization.

Another new soybean variety, highin stearic acid, produces a plastic fatinstead of a liquid oil; other varietiesare low in saturated fatty acids. Theselines may produce more palatable. sta-ble cooking oils and reduce process-ing requirements.

These projects indicate the scope ofCCUR's oilseed research. Other pro-cessing and agricultural material pro-grams using cereals also are located atand administered by CCUR. Fromcontract research or analytical services10 industrial process engineering orscale-up, the facilities of the CropProducts Pilot Plant and staff of theCCUR are available to assist commer-cial clients and the research communi-ty. For more information, contact theCCUR administration office at 515-294-0160. •

lubricants. coatings and plastic poly-mers by using modem bioengineeringtechniques have been examined, aswell as the market impact of newindustrial products from agriculturallyderived compounds.

A related survey studied the histor-ical nonfood uses for soy protein andthe current economic barriers toincreased utilization. The study identi-fies those market segments that pre-sent the greatest opportunities forincreased use. This has led to addi-tional projects focusing on using soyprotein in textile fibers, adhesives andplastics.

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INFORM. Vol. 4, no. 9 (September 1993)