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The goal is to develop a multidisciplinary approach for facilitating a balanced growth among food, feed, and fuel applications due to biofuels production. Within this overarching goal, our specific objectives are: <OL> <LI> Discovery of new value-added food safety compounds in co-products for enhancing economic development opportunities <LI>Mycotoxin monitoring in co-products for food and feed safety and mitigation strategies<LI> Economic analysis, risk assessment and communication. </ol><P>Some organizations are already working to investigate the effects of biofuel production on the prices and supply of food. Research is also underway at many public and private institutions to develop lines, both by conventional and biotechnology methods, that are high yielding or are more adaptable to biofuel production. We do not intend to duplicate these efforts. Rather, we would focus our activities in areas where knowledge gaps exist as outlined in the objectives above for public good. This will make Iowa and the US a world leader in biofuels production.
NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: The production of biofuels requires the same natural resources as those needed for food and feed. Therefore, some have framed this debate as an opposing issue, i.e. food vs. fuel. We believe, however, that through technology development, economic analysis and policy framework, we can provide a balanced growth for food, feed, and fuel for Iowa, the nation and the world. This project outlines a multidisciplinary approach for facilitating such a balanced growth among food, feed, and fuel applications due to biofuels production.
<P>APPROACH: The current dry grind corn ethanol process, with its various heat and enzymatic treatments, may result in the production of numerous novel bioactive compounds. The extracts produced from energy crops such as switch grass could also contain some beneficial bioactive compounds. We will evaluate various extracts (water, organic solvents, alkali solvents, etc.) from grain and lignocellulosic biofuel co-products for these beneficial compound (antimicrobial, antioxidant, biosurfactant, prebiotic, and immune-enhancing activity). Field-dried plant biomass has the potential of contributing herbicides, pesticides, and mycotoxins into non-fermentable co-products. Toxic compounds at low levels in the field may potentially be elevated to harmful concentrations in final co-products for animal health. To maintain the biofuel-feed-food balance, solid co-products (e.g. DDGS, lignocellulosic residues, etc.) produced by the biofuel industry needs to meet all the livestock industry standards for toxic residues and nutritional value. We will therefore, develop protocols to detect, monitor, and remediate biological and chemical toxins in solid and liquid co-products. Remediation strategies will be identified to remove or destroy toxins without reducing the nutritional value of the feed. The increased use of grains, oilseeds and biomass for biofuel production is increasing the cost of production for animal agriculture. Livestock and poultry producers are facing significant economic losses and are searching for ways to feed their animals more economically. We will develop a least-cost formulation model to evaluate the relative feed value of specific co-products compared to a reference diet for each of the major commercial food animal species. The handling, storage and manure management factors that impact the economics of using these co-products will be incorporated into the relative feed value model to provide a more accurate estimate of the value of biofuel co-products to livestock and poultry producers. The relative feed value model will be made available to users via an online interactive web page. Modern biotechnology tools will be critical to both crop production and processing innovation. We will conduct a detailed analysis of the potential challenges of biotechnology innovation for biofuels production and its interface with the current regulatory system. Our intent is to inform the R&D community, regulators, and policy planners as to the potential limitations of the current regulatory process and to suggest ways by which regulatory approaches may need to shift to accommodate the urgent national need for crop systems that can accommodate both food and fuel production. A well-informed public and policy makers make better choices about investments and decisions on food, fuel, environment and health. We will therefore develop and implement a communication and outreach program including development of a website, an annual symposium, newsletter articles, and presentations to disseminate information.