Elsewhere in ag utilization

By Joan Olson

Editor’s note: As a service to our readers, we provide news about the work of others in the ag utilization arena. Often, research done elsewhere complements AURI’s work. Please note that ARS is the research arm of the USDA.

Fishing the pits

Mining creates some lakes that are perfect for rearing fish, says an Illinois aquaculture expert. Clean, clear water is a notable feature of strip mine lakes.

In Iowa’s Perry, Saline and Williamson counties, mining companies scraped out some 15,000 acres of pits, then restored them as lakes. Now shutting down their mines, some companies plan to sell land for as little as $600 an acre — economically attractive to fish farmers.

Source: Sue Davis, Southern Illinois University Public Affairs, (618) 453-2276; siucnews@siu.edu.

Corn fiber chews sweet

Leftover corn fiber from ethanol production could yield a high-value, low-calorie sweetener for niche markets. ARS scientists are developing a process to transform corn fiber into xylitol, a white powder used in specialty sugarless chewing gums.

Manufacturers pay about $3 per pound for xylitol. In contrast, the ethanol industry now sells corn fiber as cattle feed for pennies per pound.

Source: USDA ARS Information, Beltsville, Md., (310) 504-1624.

Black beauty

ARS scientists and Vision Paper, Inc. of Albuquerque, N.M. have rolled up their sleeves to find salable products for “black liquor,” a crude byproduct of pulping kenaf fiber. Although black liquor can be burned for fuel or chemical recovery, small paper mills often can’t afford incinerators, and the burning increases greenhouse gases.

Researchers found that chitosan, made from ground-up crab shells, helps transform dissolved kenaf lignin into a solid cake. The cake will be tested as an animal feed pellet binder. The remaining soluble black liquor can be converted to low-sodium, dry fertilizer containing about 22 percent nitrogen. Kenaf is currently being grown on 12,000 acres in Georgia, Texas and Mississippi.

Source: Thomas P. Abbott, National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, Peoria, IL, (309) 681-6533, abbottp@ncaur.mail.usda.gov.

Whey waste? Lower fat instead

Ohio food scientists say whey wastewater — a byproduct of cheese processing — could become a commodity instead of a burden to processors. Whey protein concentrate extracted from the wastewater can be used to produce low-fat sausage and other meats with texture and flavor similar to full-fat products.

Ohio cheese plants generate large amounts of whey wastewater each year, and EPA discharge limits are increasingly stringent and costly.

Source: OARDC Report, April 2000, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, (330) 263-3775.

Corn on the road

New uses for condensed corn soluble, a low-value ethanol byproduct, could make ethanol production more efficient. CCS uses include improved road de-icer and roadside mats to curb soil erosion. Demand for de-icer extends from October through March, while the erosion compound can be used from spring thaw through fall.

Source: South Dakota Corn Utilization Council, (605) 334-0100; www.sdcorn.org.

Algae-choking alfalfa

An Indiana project will test processed alfalfa products and rain-damaged alfalfa as potential algaecides for Indiana’s lakes and ponds. If alfalfa is a viable biodegradable alternative to copper sulfate for control of algae, alfalfa producers may have a new market.

Source: Lori Davis Smith, (317) 232-8769, www.ai.org/oca/vagp.html.

Soy soars higher

According to USA Today, more than 300 foods and beverages made with soy were introduced in 1999. The trend shows no sign of abating; more than 37 million bushels of soybeans are used to make soy foods every year — an amount expected to increase to 66 million bushels by 2005.

Soy drinks on tap

Two major food companies are introducing soy beverages this year. PepsiCo Inc.’s Tropicana is test-marketing a soy “smoothie” in Florida restaurants and Kroger supermarkets. The drink is blended from juice, fruit puree and soy. At eight grams of soy protein per 12-ounce serving, the smoothie exceeds the FDA requirement for the soy health claim.

Bestfoods, known for brand names Hellmann’s and Mazola, is introducing a beverage called “NutraBlend.” The drink has already been marketed successfully for a decade in Latin America.

Source: Theresa Miller, Illinois Soybean Association, (309) 662-3373.

Snack So-Cool and Soy Shells by the sea shore?

“Soy Shell,” a low-fat, high-protein tortilla, joined “So-Cool,” a frozen treat from soy milk and fruit, on the winners podium at SoyLutions 2000. The yearly contest gives students an opportunity to create a new use for soybeans. Ideas must hold the potential to increase soybean use.

A team of five students from Illinois State University created “The Soy Shell” product concept, while a team of five University of Illinois students created “So-Cool.” Both contain at least 6.25 grams of soy protein per serving, allowing them to bear the claim that soy protein reduces the risk of coronary heart disease. The Illinois Soybean Association and Illinois Soybean Check-off Board sponsored the contest.

Source: Theresa Miller, Illinois Soybean Association, (309) 663-7692.

Just your garden-variety soybeans

This fall, gardeners can begin planting soybeans suitable for snack foods or as additions to salads, soups and stir-fry meals.

Soybean breeders at the University of Illinois released six “Gardensoy” lines of larger-than-average beans that taste better than traditional lines. The new varieties were developed for growing in home gardens. They can be planted through late June and still grow into a family-sized crop by fall.

Source: Richard Bernard, National Soybean Research Laboratory, (217) 333-7279.

Money growing on trees

New advances in breeding fast-growing trees means wood fiber may be planted in place of crops such as corn, soybeans and wheat.

Designated “short rotation woody crops,” fast-growing hybrid willow, poplar, cottonwood and other trees can be grown for economic as well as environmental benefits. If rising timber prices continue, SRWCs will be more profitable than corn and soybeans in parts of Minnesota, says Erik Streed of the U of M Center for Integrated Natural Resources and Agricultural Management.

Source: Eric Streed, CINRAM, (612) 624-4299; stree015@umn.edu.