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ARS Home » Plains Area » Brookings, South Dakota » Integrated Cropping Systems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #192802
Title: INCORPORATING DISTILLERS GRAINS IN FOOD PRODUCTS

Author
item Rosentrater, Kurt
item KRISHNAN, PADMANABAN - SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIV

Submitted to: Cereal Foods World
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/10/2006
Publication Date: 4/1/2006
Citation: Rosentrater, K.A., Krishnan, P.G. 2006. Incorporating distillers grains in food products. Cereal Foods World. Vol 51, No. 2, pp. 52-60.

Interpretive Summary: The production of corn-based ethanol in the U.S. is dramatically increasing, and consequently so is the quantity of coproduct materials generated from this processing sector. These streams, primarily in the form of distillers grains, are currently utilized as livestock feed, which is a route that provides ethanol processors with a substantial revenue source and significantly increases the profitability of the production process. With the construction and operation of many new plants in recent years, distillers grains do, however, have much potential for value-added processing and utilization in the human food sector as well. This option holds promise of economic benefit for corn processors, especially if the livestock industry becomes saturated with various byproduct feeds. Owing to the disparate nature of information on ethanol coproducts outside the livestock industry, a thorough review is timely and appropriate. The main objective of this study is, therefore, to fully review the existing literature base regarding the utilization of these residual streams as human foods, or components thereof, so that researchers can have a common resource from which to explore this avenue of value-added byproduct development. Additionally, ongoing efforts and future prospects for incorporating distillers grains in food products will also be discussed.

Technical Abstract: The production of corn-based ethanol in the U.S. is dramatically increasing, and consequently so is the amount of byproduct materials generated from this processing sector. These coproduct streams are currently solely utilized as livestock feed, which is a route that provides ethanol processors with a substantial revenue source and significantly increases the profitability of the production process. With the construction and operation of many new plants in recent years, these residuals do, however, have much potential for value-added processing and utilization in the human food sector as well. This option holds promise of economic benefit for corn processors, especially if the livestock feed market eventually becomes saturated with byproduct feeds. Because information concerning ethanol byproduct materials is somewhat disparate outside the livestock arena, the objective of this study is to fully review the existing literature base regarding the utilization of these residual streams as human foods, or components thereof, so that researchers can have a common resource from which to pursue this avenue of value-added byproduct development.