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Providing More—And Better—Food By 2050, John W. Finley

Agricultural Research Magazine

The world in 2050 is predicted to have 9 billion people, who will differ in almost every way but one: They will all need to eat on a daily basis.

Their nutritional needs will be similar, too. Nutrition means eating, eating means food, and food means agriculture. Many people speak of the increased food needed for 9 billion, but in reality, the increased need is for nutrition. Thus, the world of 2050 will force a melding of two disciplines that have diverged in recent years—agriculture and nutrition.

We need to change our focus. We need sustainable nutrition as much as …

May/June 2013- Locations Featured In This Magazine Issue

Agricultural Research Magazine

The Agricultural Research Service has about 100 labs all over the country.

Locations Featured in This Magazine Issue

Albany, California 9 research units ■ 230 employees

Pullman, Washington 6 research units ■ 136 employees

Small Grains and Potato Germplasm Research Unit, Aberdeen, Idaho 1 research unit ■ 57 employees

U.S. Sheep Experiment Station, Dubois, Idaho 1 research unit ■ 10 employees

Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, Clay Center, Nebraska 6 research units ■ 117 employees

Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center, Grand Forks, North Dakota 2 research units ■ 51 employees

Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Houston, Texas …

Agricultural Research Magazine, May-June 2013

Agricultural Research Magazine

Table of Contents

4 Olives! Scientists Take a New Look at an Ancient Crop

8 Getting Hooked on Farmed Salmon: A Good Source of Omega-3s

10 Nematode-Filled Capsules Tested Against Corn Rootworms

12 Viral Infection in Sheep Linked to Gene

14 Cited for More Than 60 Years of Flavor Research

17 Dogs, Pine Trees, and Carbs: Studies Lead to New Pet- Food Ingredient

18 Nourishing America’s Preemies: Scientists Confront the Challenges of IV Feeding

20 Mapping the Way to Even Healthier Rice

22 New Bioenergy Yeast Is an Overachiever

23 Locations Featured in This Magazine Issue

Mapping The Way To Even Healthier Rice, Shannon Pinson, Jan Suszkiw

Agricultural Research Magazine

With the aid of high-tech tools, Agricultural Research Service and collaborating scientists are closing in on the genes in rice that regulate the uptake and storage of important minerals—a pursuit that could bolster the nutritional value of this cereal grain crop as a staple food for roughly half the world’s population.

Ultimately, the team envisions biofortifying rice using traditional plant breeding methods to develop new varieties whose kernels (grain) boast exceptionally high concentrations of essential minerals, including zinc, iron, and calcium.

Rice is a mainstay of the human diet for good reason. It is a rich source of energy, free …

Getting Hooked On Farmed Salmon: A Good Source Of Omega-3s, Susan Raatz, Matthew Picklo, William Wolters, Rosalie Marion Bliss

Agricultural Research Magazine

Nearly 85 percent of seafood enjoyed by U.S. consumers is imported, and almost half of that is farm raised through a process called “aquaculture,” according to the National Aquaculture Association, based in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. In 2011, the United States imported $16.6 billion of seafood and exported $5.4 billion, a difference of $11.2 billion.

As the world’s population grows and demand for seafood increases, many seafood species are overfished or fully exploited. That means the world’s oceans cannot turn out more fish than are currently being produced. As the ceiling is being reached on seafood availability from the wild, U.S. …

An Educational Video And Research Experiment On The Longevity Of Chicken Eggs, Kyle Patrick Mcdonald

Agricultural Education and Communication

The purpose of this project was to create a video designed to educate the public about chicken egg storage and refrigeration. The information in the video was based on a research experiment performed by the author, which was designed to measure the chronological decline of internal egg quality over a ten-week period. By creating an educational video about the longevity of chicken eggs, it is hoped that consumers will learn to keep their eggs past their sell-by dates. This project includes an educational video as well as an outline for a research project.

Effect Of Ph And Temperature On The Binding Interactions Of Caffeine And Chlorogenic Acid With Sodium Caseinate, Emily S. Kong

Master's Theses

Coffee is a popular and well-loved beverage consumed worldwide by millions of people every day. While most patrons of coffee do so because of its unique and satisfying taste, consumers may be unaware of the potential beneficial health effects it also imparts. The antioxidants found in green coffee beans collectively known as chlorogenic acids (CGA) and caffeine are two of the most abundant bioactive compounds present in coffee. Both these bioactive compounds have been implicated in many studies to impart a wide range of health benefits, from reducing the risk of Type 2 diabetes, to their use as aides in …

Bacterial Recovery, Transfer To Hands And Survival On Restaurant Menus, Ibtehal Alsallaiy

All Theses

Some non-food contact surfaces such as restaurant menus are not routinely cleaned or evaluated for microbial contamination and thus may be a potential contamination risk. The main objectives of this study were to detect bacteria on restaurant menus, test the rate of bacteria transfer from menus to consumers and determine the survival rate of bacteria on the menu surface. Evaluation of samples can 'find' that menus harbored detectable levels of aerobic organisms and Staphylococcus spp. The average mean of Total Plate count (TPC) was 28 CFU/15cm2 per sampling area during busy periods and 15 CFU/15cm2 per sampling area during less …

Correlation Of Physicochemical Properties Of Chondroitin Sulfate To Its In-Vitro Absorption And Anti-Inflammatory Activity, Lahari Surapaneni

All Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate if the molecular weight and degree of sulfation of chondroitin sulfate (CS) has an impact on its in vitro absorption and anti-inflammatory activity.
For absorption studies, Caco-2 cells were incubated with eight CS samples of differing molecular weights (7 kDa - 35 kDa). The amount of CS transported into the basolateral side of the Caco-2 monolayer was quantitatively determined to calculate the permeability coefficients (Peff). The permeability coefficients of the eight different CS samples across Caco-2 cell monolayers were assessed. For anti-inflammatory studies, RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cells were pre incubated with …

Dogs, Pine Trees, And Carbs, Neil P.J. Price, Marcia Wood

Agricultural Research Magazine

Carbohydrates from a perhaps surprising source—pine trees—may have beneficial effects on dogs’ digestive-system health, according to collaborative studies by Agricultural Research Service, university, and corporate scientists.

The carbs, predominantly a group known as “GGMOs”—short for galactoglucomannan oligosaccharides—are a key ingredient in Previda, an all-natural dietary ingredient marketed to makers of pet food, aquaculture feed, and other animal-nutrition products.

ARS chemist Neil P.J. Price began his studies of these fiber-rich carbs in 2007, working under the auspices of a cooperative agreement with Temple-Inland, a Texas-based producer of lumber, fiberboard, and other wood products made from loblolly, longleaf, and other kinds of …

Nourishing America’S Preemies Scientists Confront The Challenges Of Iv Feeding, Douglas G. Burrin, Marcia Wood

Agricultural Research Magazine

Each year, more than a half-million infants are born prematurely in the United States. Many of these preemies, particularly those whose tiny digestive systems are simply too underdeveloped to handle mother’s milk or infant formula, may need to be nourished exclusively via intravenous feeding, known as “total parenteral nutrition,” or TPN.

TPN solutions, usually administered at the hospital for anywhere from a few days to a month or more, provide essential nutrients broken down into a very basic form. This liquid is gently and continuously infused into the infant’s bloodstream, completely bypassing the digestive tract.

“TPN helps save the lives …

Influence Of Compost Particle Size On Pathogen Survival Under Greenhouse Condition, Junshu Diao

All Theses

The number of foodborne pathogen outbreaks related to fresh produce has increased significantly in recent decades. Animal waste directly applied to agricultural field is one of the possible contamination sources for fresh produce. Composting is one of the recommended means for waste treatments to eliminate or reduce pathogens in manure on farms. Although pathogens can be eliminated by proper composting process, pathogens are able to survive, recolonize and regrow on compost heap surfaces under certain conditions. Due to the outdoor nature of composting process, bioaerosols with different particle sizes can be generated on compost surfaces which can carry pathogens, travel …

Factors Affecting The Oxidative Stability Of Foods-Interesterified Soybean Oil With High Intensity Ultrasound Treatment And Trona Mineral In Packaged Fresh Meats, Jiwon Lee

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Oxidation leads to rancid flavors or odors in oils and meat and causes discoloration in muscle foods. There is a great concern about economic loss when oxidation is not effectively controlled. Novel processing and storage methods such as ultrasound, interesterification, or gas emitter sachet in meat packaging have been studied to provide desirable quality properties of oils and meat products. However, there are not enough studies to explain their effect on oxidative stability. Better understanding of new techniques is required to manage the oxidative stability and even other quality properties.

High intensity ultrasound is an effective method to improve physical …

Peach Fruit Quality Analysis In Relation To Organic And Conventional Cultivation Techniques, Varun Chandra Koneru

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The USA is the third major world producer of peaches but consumption has decreased over the last two decades. Consumers have cited mealy texture, fruit browning and lack of sweetness as some undesirable characteristics in peaches, which may be related to the decline. The focus of this study was to evaluate the effect of farm management practices on fruit quality. Physical parameters (color, firmness and size), volatiles and metabolite data was collected.
Sensory evaluation indicated transitional organic peaches were liked the best and organically grown peaches were least liked. All the treatments were significantly different from each other and consumers …

Physio-Chemical And Sensory Properties Of A Nutrient-Fortified Extruded Product, Tajudini Lassissi Akande

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Protein malnutrition is responsible for half the deaths of children under the age of five each year in developing countries. More than 4%, 26%, and 70% of children with protein malnutrition live in Latin America/the Caribbean, Africa, and Asia, respectively. The objective of this research was to develop a novel snack made with millet, black eye bean (from Niger Republic), and rice flour fortified with soybean meal protein using extrusion technology. Proximate analysis of the four flours was carried out to determine their chemical composition. Central composite design (CCD) was used to obtain best extrusion conditions to develop a protein-enriched …

Extraction And Purification Of Gamma-Tocotrienol From Rice Bran Oil Deodorizer Distillate, Mary Kordsmeier

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The tocols (alpha-, beta-, gamma- and delta- tocopherols (T); alpha-, beta-, gamma- and delta-tocotrienols (T3)) make up the vitamin E family of antioxidants. Tocols have many health benefits. Gamma-T3 has been shown to protect against harmful radiation effects in mice. During rice bran oil refining up to 90% of tocols in rice bran are lost to the deodorizer distillate. The objective of this study was to optimize parameters for analyzing and isolating tocols from rice bran oil deodorizer distillate (RBODD). NP-HPLC analysis of tocol standards was optimized by testing ten mobile phases. Tocol extraction was optimized by testing three concentration …

Development Of A Predictive Modeling System For Validation Of The Cumulative Mirobial Inactivation Of The Salmonellae In Pepperoni Utilizing A Non-Pathogenic Surrogate Microorganism (Enterococcus Faecalis), Scott Donald Stillwell

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Salmonellosis is the most frequently occurring bacterial foodborne illness in the United States and the human case rate has not improved for the past two decades. The federal agency responsible for oversight of meat and poultry processors has announced the intent to extend existing pathogen reduction performance standards for Salmonella spp. to cover all classes of products including fermented sausages that are currently produced under HACCP plans that are validated for control of Escherichia coli O157:H7. The proposed regulatory modifications will require processors to revalidate HACCP plan controls to achieve either a 6.5 or a 7.0 log10 inactivation of the …

An Exploratory Study Of College Students’ Dietary Choices Relative To Independence, Emily Raines

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The college years have been acknowledged as a time of emerging adulthood, during which students develop habits and make choices that endure long into their future (Arnett, 2000). To date, limited research exists that examines the college population, particularly in relation to diet. The purpose of this study is to explore the dietary choices college students make as they transition from the home and develop autonomy and to help fill the gap in literature. Four focus groups were organized (n=24) to reveal themes intrinsic to the development of dietary habits during the on-campus experience. The focus groups were recorded with …

Production Of Bioethanol By Fermentation Of Sugars Released By Dilute-Acid And Enzymatic Hydrolysis Of Soybean Meal, Deivis E. Lujan-Rhenals

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Soybean meal (SBM) is a co-product of soybean oil extraction mostly used as animal feed due to its protein content ranging from 40 to 49%. Additionally, SBM contains 35-42% of carbohydrates, half of which are structural, and the remaining consists of approximately 17% of mono- and disaccharides--especially sucrose--up to 8% oligosaccharides, and 1-2% starch. When used as animal feed, only sucrose and starch are digested and absorbed by monogastric animals. Although SBM contributes carbohydrates to their diet, its main function is to provide proteins. Therefore, the selective removal of carbohydrates would create a protein-enriched meal with a greater value, which …

Measuring The Energy Required To Dry Rice In Commercial Rice Dryers, Maria Alejandra Billiris

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this research was to quantify and assess the energy use and efficiency of commercial cross-flow dryers when drying rice using a range of drying and ambient conditions. First, equations that predict the theoretical energy required to dry rice from any given initial moisture content to a desired final moisture content were developed for several rice cultivars using a semi-theoretical approach to obtain a basis for comparison to calculate energy efficiency. Theoretical energy requirements, expressed as the energy required per unit mass of water removed, increased exponentially as initial moisture content decreased. Additionally, medium-grains required more energy to …

Risk Assessment Of Trace And Undeclared Allergens In Processed Foods, Benjamin C. Remington

Department of Food Science and Technology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Minimal eliciting doses for objective allergic reactions were found for 13 priority allergens and over 1800 individuals from published clinical literature or unpublished clinical data. Allergic populations did not vary when analyzed by age or geographic region. Results of this study show there are sufficient clinical data from food allergic individuals to use for risk assessment purposes for several allergenic foods.

Of 186 food products bearing advisory statements regarding peanut or 16 products that had peanut listed as a minor ingredient, 8.6% and 37.5% contained detectable levels of peanut (>2.5 ppm whole peanut). An additional market survey of 215 …

Nutrition Education To Minimize Health Risk: Approaches For Teaching College Students And Female High School Athletes, Katie Nicole Brown

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Obesity, heart disease, and osteoporosis are among the major health concerns facing Americans today. Obesity, elevated blood cholesterol, and even atherosclerosis are affecting America’s children and adolescents and putting them at increased risk for heart disease later in life. Similarly, low bone mineral density is seen among some adolescents including female athletes, increases their risk for immediate and lifetime fracture. Female athletes who do not consume enough calories to compensate for calories expended during physical activity are in a state of low energy availability which can lead to menstrual dysfunction, as well as bone loss, and injury (the female athlete …

Bioactivities Of Milk Polar Lipids In Influencing Intestinal Barrier Integrity, Systemic Inflammation, And Lipid Metabolism, Albert Lihong Zhou

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of lactation is for nutrient provision and also importantly for protection from various environmental stressors. Milk polar lipids reduce cholesterol, protect against bacterial infection, reduce inflammation and help maintain gut integrity. Dynamic interactions within dietary fat, lipid metabolism, gut permeability and inflammatory cytokines remain unclear in the context of obesity and systemic inflammation. A rat model and three mouse models were developed to test the hypotheses that dietary milk polar lipids may affect lipid metabolism and intestinal integrity and may protect against systemic inflammation in the context of stressful diet, systemic inflammation, and obesity.

The milk polar lipids …

Characterization Of Lactose Monolaurate For Its Antimicrobial And Emulsification Properties And Its Effect On Crystallization Behavior Of Anhydrous Milk Fat, Ashwini Wagh

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A major class of synthetic emulsifiers used in food is sucrose esters. However, the use of lactose esters in foods is not very well known. Lactose monolaurate was characterized in our laboratory with respect to its antimicrobial, emulsification and fat crystallization modifier properties. The benefits of this study were multifold. A single compound was explored for multiple functionalities. Enzymatic synthesis and characterization of lactose monolaurate was carried out in the laboratory using food grade solvents. This process utilized lactose, a major byproduct of the dairy industry which is cheaper than sucrose.

In the first study, lactose monolaurate was explored for …

Ebt At Farmer's Markets Is A Snap, Amanda Spackman

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Research Question: How can farmers' markets best implement the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to increase sales and provide low income individuals with access to fresh, local produce?

This paper will discuss the use of SNAP benefits (formerly known as food stamps) at farmers' markets, with particular emphasis on the Cache Valley Gardener's Market as an example. Lack of access to adequate food is a major issue in the US. When farmers' markets work in conjunction with the federal SNAP program they can help individuals who struggle with food security to gain access to local food. There are many benefits …

The Effect Of Implementing A Weight Loss Program On Participant Attendance, Club Usage, And Gym Membership Attrition, Stephanie Bonkemeyer Haymond

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The purpose of this research study was to evaluate the effect of a weight loss program on individual participant attendance, total club usage and membership attrition. This retrospective study involved a fitness gym located in Utah County, Utah with a total membership of 1,100. The number of clients participating in the weight loss program between December 2011 and May 2012 was 36 (32 females and 4 males). A total of 11 clients were analyzed for the individual attendance data as this analysis was limited to only those clients who were gym members one year prior to the implementation of the …

An Online Customer Service Survey To Determine Current Levels Of Customer Satisfaction At A Crossfit Gym, Sarah Lewis

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

A study was conducted by researchers from Utah State University at Northland Strength and Conditioning/Combat CrossFit to determine the customer satisfaction levels at a CrossFit gym in Liberty, Missouri. A survey was created and sent to current and previous members and responses were analyzed for trends and areas of strengths and weaknesses in the business. Of 194 surveys sent, 67 (35%) were returned. Data was analyzed using the survey administration platform provided by Constant Contact and also by Excel spreadsheet and statistical analyses.

Several areas of improvement were identified, including advertising opportunities with exterior signage, offering more classes or different …

Items To Be Included In A Food Safety Handbook For Artisan Cheese Makers, David A. Irish

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Current written resources for artisan cheese makers include topics concerning cheese history, cheese recipes, budget planning, culture selection, processing parameters, and only limited discussion of food safety associated with cheese manufacturing. Most often food safety discussions center on HACCP, which typically are not included in artisan cheese operation planning. Recent changes in the regulatory landscape, including the Food Safety Modernization Act, make this information timely and needed. This research is designed to identify and collect a majority of topical ideas that should be included in a Food Safety Handbook for Artisan Cheese Makers. Where possible, expansion of the ideas has …

Agricultural Research Magazine, April 2013

Agricultural Research Magazine

Table of Contents

4 Irrigation Wastewater: Waste Not, Want Not

6 Two Approaches for Optimizing Water Productivity

8 Compounds in Whole-Grain Rice Varieties

10 New Discovery Makes Detecting Johne’s Disease Easier

12 House Fly Virus Stops Flies from Reproducing

14 Improved Vitamin B12 Test May Help Young and Old Alike

16 Rooting Out a Novel Stress Syndrome in Pigs

18 A Modeling Milestone for Soil Phosphorus Management

20 New Technologies for Studying Crops and Crop Diseases

23 Locations Featured in This Magazine Issue

Compounds In Whole-Grain Rice Varieties, Ming-Hsuan Chen, Karen Bett-Garber, Rosalie Marion Bliss

Agricultural Research Magazine

Whole-grain brown rice contains 15 vitamins and minerals, including B vitamins, potassium, magnesium, and iron—all nutrients the body needs to grow and develop normally. In addition to these essential nutrients, there are bioactive phytochemicals in rice, as well as in other whole grains, vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, and seeds. Although the role of these plant chemicals in terms of human health has not been proven, a body of evidence suggests that some phytochemicals could be nutritionally beneficial.

Now, studies headed by chemist Ming-Hsuan Chen, who is with the Agricultural Research Service’s Dale Bumpers National Rice Research Center in Stuttgart, Arkansas, …