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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Peoria, Illinois » National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research » Functional Foods Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #363794
Research Project: Evaluation of the Chemical and Physical Properties of Low-Value Agricultural Crops and Products to Enhance Their Use and Value

Location: Functional Foods Research

Title: Finding new uses for low value agricultural products and waste: Applications and advances in phytochemical compositional analysis

Author
item Berhow, Mark

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/12/2019
Publication Date: 11/6/2019
Citation: Berhow, M.A. 2019. Finding new uses for low value agricultural products and waste: Applications and advances in phytochemical compositional analysis. Meeting Abstract. Cereals and Grains 2019. November 3-5, 2019, Denver, CO.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The search for new functional foods, environmentally friendly pest control, bio-fuels, and biodegradable consumer products and packaging is the ongoing challenge to 21st century agriculture research. Interest in natural functional ingredients from plants is on the increase along with the demand for faster, efficient and accurate ways of measuring these compounds. These demands are being met with innovative research using cutting edge instrumentation. We are working on developing methods for the rapid and complete chemical analysis of agricultural co-products to assess their use as biological control agents for the prevention of disease in humans, animals and in agriculture. This research will be used to develop non-destructive spectrophotometric analytical methods to rapidly assess the levels of specific phytochemicals in seeds, tissues, and processed products. We are focused on the characterization of the phytochemical and chemical components of under utilized agricultural materials, such as weedy species, or processing by-products, such as seed meals from biofuel production, that have potential uses as biological pest controls and/or as food nutriceuticals for the control of the development of chronic disease.