Archer Daniels Midland (United States)

Stroboscopic nutation (P. S. C. Wu; G. Otting, Rapid pulse length determination in high-resolution NMR. J. Magn. Reson. 2005, 176(1), 115–119) has proved to be invaluable for the rapid calibration of observation pulse widths, particularly for the 1H nucleus. Originally intended for aqueous solutions, especially for lossy samples and with a high protiated content of the solvent, application of the technique has been extended to all types of samples as well as other nuclei. Herein it is shown that pulsecal – the automated subroutine that performs stroboscopic nutation on Bruker instruments – can perform poorly for deuterated organic solvents and how this can be recognized. Conversely, it is shown under which circumstances pulsecal can perform well for deuterated organic solvents. But awareness of how pulsecal performs and knowing what a meaningful result should look like, how to extract meaningful values from a pulsecal spectral output, or how to direct pulsecal to use a suitable signal for measurement can all help avoid errant results. Thus it is important to evaluate the output of pulsecal to ensure it is correctly returning meaningful values. This need not be done on all samples but checks on a representative sample of a sample set or type of samples are recommended. Hence, when using pulsecal to measure pulse widths in deuterated organic solvents, cautio consilium (caution advised).

Personalized nutrition (PN) aims to provide tailored dietary recommendations to improve a person's health outcomes by integrating a multitude of individual-level information and supporting desired behavior changes. The field is rapidly evolving with technological advances. As new biomarkers are discovered, wearables and other devices can now provide up-to-the-minute insights, and artificial intelligence and machine learning models support recommendations and lifestyle behavior change. Advancements in the field enhance the potential for tailored and effective programs but raise important questions regarding user safety, security, health, transparency, and privacy. The Personalized Nutrition Initiative at the University of Illinois held the workshop, "Challenges for Personalized Nutrition in the Current United States Regulatory Framework and Future Opportunities," to address regulatory implications of current PN programs, future innovation within the current framework, and existing complexities of oversight. A majority of PN programs combine multiple components, and these components may need to be regulated differently. The areas of food, supplements, in vitro diagnostics, and medical and wellness devices were described and discussed as they apply to PN programs. The speakers and discussants concluded that regulatory guidance for PN programs should focus on ensuring 1) safety and accuracy of the tests and devices, 2) credentialed and skilled experts develop the advice, 3) responsible and clear communication of information and benefits, 4) substantiation of scientific claims, and 5) procedures are implemented to protect user privacy. Furthermore, as this field incorporates new devices, biomarkers, behavior-based tools, and the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning, the need to adapt the existing regulatory framework was also considered. Working closely with regulatory bodies is required and should be an opportunity to provide users with transparency, build trust, and create a source of differentiation for PN innovators.

The use of insects, such as black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae meal (BSFLM), as an alternative protein source for pet food has gained attention due to their high nutritional value. The objective of this study was to determine the chemical composition, amino acid (AA) digestibility, and protein quality of defatted BSFLM of 2 distinct substrates (wheat and corn, BSFLM-W and BSFLM-C). Whole egg powder (WEP) and chicken meal (CM) were used as reference protein sources commonly used in pet foods. Twenty cecectomized roosters (5 per treatment) were randomly allocated to the test ingredients BSFLM-C, BSFLM-W, CM, and WEP. After 26h of feed withdrawal, 20g of each ingredient were tube-fed, and excreta were collected for 48h. Digestible indispensable amino acid score (DIAAS)-like values were calculated based on the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), The European Pet Food Industry Federation (FEDIAF), and National Research Council (NRC) reference values for different life stages of dogs and cats. CM had the highest crude protein concentration (70.2%), followed by BSFLM-C (65.6%), BSFLM-W (59.8%), and WEP (51.2%). In general, WEP had higher AA digestibility than BSFLM and CM. BSFLM-C had comparable arginine digestibility to WEP, outperforming BSFLM-W and CM. BSFLM-C showed high AA digestibility, surpassing 75% for all indispensable AAs, particularly exceeding CM. DIAAS-like values were calculated, revealing methionine + cysteine limitations for growing puppies and adult dogs in BSFLM-W, BSFLM-C, and CM according to AAFCO and FEDIAF. NRC identified methionine + cysteine as limiting for all sources in adult dogs. For growing kittens, methionine + cysteine and phenylalanine + tyrosine were limiting in BSFLM-W, BSFLM-C, and CM based on AAFCO and FEDIAF, while NRC and FEDIAF identified phenylalanine + tyrosine as limiting for WEP. For adult cats, phenylalanine + tyrosine was limiting in BSFLM-W, BSFLM-C, and CM according to AAFCO and FEDIAF, with NRC identifying it across all sources. In summary, BSFLM sources had high AA digestibility, comparable to traditional protein sources used in pet foods. When formulating diets for pets using BSFLM as the main protein source, methionine + cysteine and/or phenylalanine + tyrosine concentrations should be considered as they were the primary limiting AAs.

Corn wet milling (CWM) and corn starch flash drying processing conditions reduce undesirable microorganisms, such as Salmonella. Finished products are historically safe, with intrinsic properties such as low water activity inhibiting microbial growth. Corn processors could use quantified levels of reduction in this study of Salmonella surrogate Enterococcus faecium (E. faecium) to update their food safety plans. Industry-relevant conditions for CWM processes were recreated at pilot or lab scale for 3 unit operations: (1) steeping treatment in sulfur dioxide (SO2) with low (750ppm SO2, 20h, 43.3°C), medium (1,500ppm SO2, 30h, 48.9°C), and high (2,200ppm SO2, 40h, 53.3°C) treatment conditions; (2) hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) treatment tested on bench scale with a factorial design (pH 3.5, 4.0, and 4.5), H2O2 concentrations (0.05%, 0.10%, 0.15% (w/w)), and temperatures (32, 38, and 46°C) for 3 and 6h; (3) flash drying treatment at 4 different temperatures (149, 177, 204, and 232°C) with 2 different inoculation methods. E. faecium was reduced during each of these unit operations. By the end of each steeping treatment, E. faecium was consistently below the limit of quantitation (LOQ), meaning >6.5 log CFU/mL reduction in steep water, and >3.7 log CFU/g reduction in ground corn. The peroxide step had a reduction range from 0.03 log CFU/mL in the control group (0% H2O2 added) to >6 log CFU/mL observed in the high-intensity treatment of corn starch slurry. Flash drying had a reduction range from 1.7 to 2.7 log CFU/g. There was also no biologically meaningful change (<1 log CFU/g reduction) of E. faecium counts during an 8-week survival study of the dried final product. This hurdle approach study shows that existing CWM conditions are effective for Salmonella surrogate reduction through processing into finished starch and provides quantified E. faecium reductions for use in food safety plans.

Nontoxic resins formulated with renewable components have been receiving increased attention as sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based resins. In this work, we demonstrate a new class of lignin-amino acid (LA) resins, formulated with nontoxic components that are abundant and can be renewably sourced from field leftovers (corn cobs) and lysine (from biobased sugars). NMR (1H, 31P, 13C–1H HSQC, 15N–1H HSQC, and 15N–1H HMBC), FTIR, thermogravimetric, gel permeation chromatography, and elemental analyses provide insights into the physicochemical properties of the resins, including the presence of LA linkages such as C–N cross-linking. The LA resin creates strong bonds between pieces of wood, metals (aluminum and stainless steel), and plastics. Internal bond strengths (IBSs) of balsa wood and medium density fiberboard specimens glued with LA resins, measured using an Instron instrument, were comparable to those bonded with commercial polyurethane and polyvinyl acetate resins. Resins prepared with ozone-pretreated lignin have significantly larger molar masses and display increased bond strengths with glued substrates as inferred from IBS measurements. This is attributed to the creation of reactive oxygen-based functionalities in the lignin upon ozone pretreatment. LA resins thus show promise as a feasible and sustainable alternative to petroleum-based resins.

Reaction to food allergens is on the increase and so is the attending cost on consumers, the food industry, and society at large. According to FDA, the "big-eight" allergens found in foods include wheat (gluten), peanuts, egg, shellfish, milk, tree nuts, fish, and soybeans. Sesame was added to the list in 2023, making the target allergen list nine instead of eight. These allergenic foods are major ingredients in many food products that can cause severe reactions in those allergic to them if found at a dose that can elicit a reaction. Defining the level of contamination that can elicit sensitivity is a work in progress. The first step in preventing an allergic reaction is reliable detection, then an effective quantification method. These are critical steps in keeping contaminated foods out of the supply chain of foods with allergen-free labels. The conventional methods of chemical assay, DNA-PCR, and enzyme protocols like enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay are effective in allergen detection but slow in providing a response. Most of these methods are incapable of quantifying the level of allergen contamination. There are emerging non-destructive methods that combine the power of sensors and machine learning to provide reliable detection and quantification. This review paper highlights some of the critical information on the types of prevalent food allergens, the mechanism of an allergic reaction in humans, the measure of allergenic sensitivity and eliciting doses, and the conventional and emerging AI-based methods of detection and quantification-the merits and downsides of each type.

Global protein shortages and sustainability concerns have increased consumer demand for non-animal-derived protein. Dried whole-cell yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) may be a suitable alternative to rendered protein meals in pet foods. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of dried yeast in dog and cat foods on indicators that pet parents typically use to evaluate the suitability of a food for their pet. For this evaluation, two dog and two cat dry extruded diets were formulated. For each species, the test diet contained 10% dried yeast (Yeast) and the control diet was devoid of yeast (Control). Palatability, apparent total tract nutrient digestibility, and fecal quality of the foods were assessed in dogs and cats. Urine pH and specific gravity were measured in cats as indicators of urinary tract health. In dogs, the Yeast diet showed equivalent or better palatability compared to the Control diet based on total food consumption (P = 0.06), average daily consumption (day 1, P = 0.10; day 2, P = 0.54), and first choice preference over 2 consecutive days (P = 0.005). Cats showed a strong preference for the Yeast diet with more than double the consumption during the 2-d test period (P = 0.001). More cats showed a first-choice preference for the Yeast diet (24 vs. 16), but the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.21). There were no significant differences in stool quality or nutrient digestibility when fed Yeast vs. Control diets to the dogs and cats (P > 0.05). All cats produced urine with pH and specific gravity values within the normal range, though specific gravity was lower in the Control group (P = 0.003). This study provides support for the acceptability and digestibility of dog and cat diets containing dried yeast as an alternative protein source.