U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service

Quality and Utilization of Agricultural Products (NP 306)

Wednesday Morning

June 11, 2008

# Breakout Records:

  ------------------------------ ----------------------------------------------------
  **[Breakout                    **Group 1 -- Cotton Quality, Ginning, Utilization**
  Group:]{.smallcaps}**          

  **[Moderator:]{.smallcaps}**   **Brian Condon**

  **[Recorder:]{.smallcaps}**    **[Rick Byler]{.smallcaps}**

  **[Presenter:]{.smallcaps}**   **[Roger Insley]{.smallcaps}**
  ------------------------------ ----------------------------------------------------

1.  **What "big picture" pressing problems in your company, industry or
    organization, related to postharvest quality and value-added
    processing and utilization, would you like to see this ARS National
    Program address during the next 5-7 years? In other words, what are
    your organization's priority research needs?**

    -   Gin waste utilization, additional uses of non-fiber from system

    -   Moisture measurement and control

    -   PM~2.5~ issues

    -   Quality issues -- short fiber, neps, stickiness, seed coat
        fragments

        -   Measure what is happening

        -   Improve system to reduce the problem

        -   Maintenance of seed quality -- feed value, oil value

        -   Quality of cotton bales during storage, bagging

    -   Continue emphasis on cotton harvesting and ginning improvement
        -- capacity, post harvest processing effect on quality

    -   Cotton quality vs. quantity, lack of premium price for higher
        quality

    -   Cotton seed utilization -- storage, processing, end uses, use of
        linters

    -   Cotton quality comes from the entire system, NP306 only
        addresses part of it, entire system needs to address quality as
        well as quantity -- Holistic approach

    -   Understand impact of variety and harvesting on fiber quality

    -   Ginning pre-cleaning compared to lint cleaning issues, degree of
        aggression in ginning

    -   Gin stand improvement - greater capacity, less fiber damage

    -   Emphasize cooperation among different research groups

    -   Research how to keep cotton competitive relative to synthetics
        -- genetics, finishes, processes, relative price

    -   What specifically are the important quality issues? Highest
        product value

    -   High capacity roller gin vs. saw gin stand -- applications in
        different regions

    -   Adapt ginning and lint cleaners to newer varieties

    -   Cotton fiber science -- fire retardant finishes, wrinkle
        resistance, moisture management, fabric properties, specialty
        finishes

    -   Cotton fiber bio-science

    -   Nonwovens is now more attractive for cotton -- sustainability,
        product performance, fiber price

    -   Look at disposables like wipes first

    -   Value added via functional chemistry

    -   Non-woven development into new markets, less expensive cotton
        fiber processing -- applications; wipes, adult incontinence,
        uniforms

    -   Consumer inputs, needs, choices -- implication for quality and
        processing, easy home care

    -   Medical applications -- bandages, bedding, wipes

2.  **Do the current NP 306 Action Plan Components, Problems Areas, and
    Objectives continue to frame the major issues? Have we missed any
    big issues?**

    -   Communication is key, don't segregate work, names don't matter

3.  **What name and organizational structure would most clearly describe
    the program and capture key issues?**

    -   Current two components -- things we do, current system works ok

    -   Product pieces -- commodity related

    -   Reorganize entire system around commodity, more market related
        -- perhaps better externally

    -   Names and organization is less important than research and
        communication

    -   Reward scientists for doing worthwhile work, not necessarily on
        first author of publicans, remove internal barriers,
        incentiveize cooperative work

  ------------------------------ ----------------------------------------------------
  **[Breakout                    **Group 2 - Animal-Based Products**
  Group:]{.smallcaps}**          

  **[Moderator:]{.smallcaps}**   **Kurt Lawrence**

  **[Recorder:]{.smallcaps}**    **Bill Marmer**

  **[Presenter:]{.smallcaps}**   **Barry Griffith (Tyson Foods)**
  ------------------------------ ----------------------------------------------------

1.  **What "big picture" pressing problems in your company, industry or
    organization, related to postharvest quality and value-added
    processing and utilization, would you like to see this ARS National
    Program address during the next 5-7 years? In other words, what are
    your organization's priority research needs?**

Environmental: Water issues:

> Develop more efficient techniques for treatment
>
> Water optimization -- reduction in use or improved technologies for
> re-use
>
> Regulations: may be driven by best-available technologies
>
> Education: Assurance that projects are aligned with regulations

Environmental: Air issues

> Odor abatement by process improvement

Environmental: Other

> Reduced salt use in hide preservation

Energy issues

> Conservation issues (dryers, cookers, housing)
>
> New processing techniques

New or improved products or applications

> Wool, cheeses, casein, rendered protein, hide fleshings, blood
>
> Technology to improve quality, safety, shelf-life, nutrition
>
> Pathogen intervention; manure removal from hides
>
> Hair, feather utilization
>
> Quality assessment tools (imaging; rapidity)

2.  **Do the current NP 306 Action Plan Components, Problems Areas, and
    Objectives continue to frame the major issues? Have we missed any
    big issues?**

Yes. no

3.  **What name and organizational structure would most clearly describe
    the program and capture key issues?**

Vote: #1: 44%; #2, 0%; #3: 56%

  ------------------------------ ----------------------------------------------------
  **[Breakout                    **Group 3 - Cereal & Oilseed Quality & Processing**
  Group:]{.smallcaps}**          

  **[Moderator:]{.smallcaps}**   **Ed Souza**

  **[Recorder:]{.smallcaps}**    **Floyd Dowell**

  **[Presenter:]{.smallcaps}**   **[Dave Funk]{.smallcaps}**
  ------------------------------ ----------------------------------------------------

1.  **What "big picture" pressing problems in your company, industry or
    organization, related to postharvest quality and value-added
    processing and utilization, would you like to see this ARS National
    Program address during the next 5-7 years? In other words, what are
    your organization's priority research needs?**

**What are your organization's priority research needs?**

**Summary:**

-   Need breakthrough detection technologies

-   Detection technologies to facilitate marketing genetically enhanced
    crops.

-   Need technology to identify/eliminate barriers to export markets
    (ie., weed seeds that are quarantine issues).

-   New detection technologies.

-   Detect Preharvest Sprouting.

-   Improve technology to detect hard vs soft white wheat.

-   Segregation issues (grading). Hard/soft blends (wheat). Hardness
    segregation. Detecting functionality.

-   Select soybean varieties for end uses rather than modify the
    harvested crop.

-   Rapid functionality testing.

-   Need to have the capabilities to identify and market a high value
    product domestic and internationally.

-   Food Safety. Rapid (market applicable) mycotoxin testing. Pesticide
    residue testing. Microbiologicals.

-   Detect Insects live and frags.

-   Need markers for quality attributes (genetic and biochemical).

-   Assess effects of climate change on quality.

-   New uses for current classes.

2.  **Do the current NP 306 Action Plan Components, Problems Areas, and
    Objectives continue to frame the major issues?** *(There is some
    overlap with other areas, such as insects in storage, but this was
    not identified as a bad thing).*

> **Have we missed any big issues?**
>
> *(Incorporated in list above)*

3.  **What name and organizational structure would most clearly describe
    the program and capture key issues?**

    -   *Emphasize "health" in the title instead of just value-added).*

    -   *Keep it short.*

    -   ***Buzz words "measure, capture, assess, improve"***

  ------------------------------ ----------------------------------------------------
  **[Breakout                    **Group 4 - Bioactive Compounds and Functional
  Group:]{.smallcaps}**          Foods**

  **[Moderator:]{.smallcaps}**   **Elaine Champagne**

  **[Recorder:]{.smallcaps}**    **Arland Hotchkiss**

  **[Presenter:]{.smallcaps}**   **[Marie Fenn]{.smallcaps}**
  ------------------------------ ----------------------------------------------------

1.  **What "big picture" pressing problems in your company, industry or
    organization, related to postharvest quality and value-added
    processing and utilization, would you like to see this ARS National
    Program address during the next 5-7 years? In other words, what are
    your organization's priority research needs?**

Problems to be addressed should focus on:

-   Commodity crops delivery systems and the related technology & tools
    for functional foods

    -   Functional genomics, i.e. better methods and exploration of
        components

    -   Key components for Delivery/formulations

        -   Chelates

        -   Encapsulation for beverage industry

    -   Nanotechnology

    -   Food safety

    -   Metabolomics, genomics, other 'omics

        -   Mass spectrometry an ARS niche

    -   Improve peanut grading systems

    -   Creating tools for standardization; especially probiotics. There
        is a lack of design definition of bioactive compounds and
        antioxidants.

-   Bioavailability studies: Interface with health/clinical claims

    -   ARS Human Nutrition Research Centers

    -   Research flow from NP 306 to Human Nutrition NP 107

    -   Reliable in vitro biomarkers (with FDA and NIH buy-in)

        -   Validated so that prediction of success in full-blown human
            clinical trials is high

    -   Pilot clinical trials as intermediate step for proof of
        principle before entering into full-blown clinical trials and as
        a method to attract dollars and interest.

    -   Fortification of foods with phytosterols, folate, probiotics,
        and other healthy plant compounds

    -   Connection between bioactivity and plant/food matrix

        -   Structure/function relationships

        -   Look at the synergistic effects and actions across the food
            matrix.

        -   Keep in mind that ARS works with Foods and not just chemical
            compounds or drugs and pharmaceuticals

-   Better understanding of state-of-the-art efforts. Scan the landscape
    of research being done by entitites on bioactive compounds to gain a
    better understanding of what's being done and where work needs to
    go.

2.  **Do the current NP 306 Action Plan Components, Problems Areas, and
    Objectives continue to frame the major issues? Have we missed any
    big issues?**

Option 1, Component 1 title should include Design in it (Quality Design,
Characterization, Preservation, and Enhancement)

Biobased = nonfood/nonfeed from ag, forest or marine resource

Discussion for and against commodity coding, but consensus:

Maintain commodity identification, revisit the category designations
(add commodities if necessary)

Need new Problem Area 2d (or Foods 1e of option 3): Bioactive
Ingredients and Functional Foods or Foods for Health

-   Linkage with NP 107

-   Linkage to NP 307 (Bioenergy)

3.  **What name and organizational structure would most clearly describe
    the program and capture key issues?**

NP 306 Mission Statement add:

... meeting consumer needs, promoting heath and wellness, ...

... development of health-promoting, value-added food and ...

flesh out in program objectives

Problem Area 2c includes bioactive compounds and physical function in
foods

-   Need better elaboration of bioactive compounds in 2c to be clear
    what bioactive compounds are

-   Uses, design, characterization

-   Define functional foods

##### ALLOW NP CROSS-CODING

  ------------------------------ ----------------------------------------------------
  **[Breakout                    **Group 5 - Specialty Crops Quality & Processing**
  Group:]{.smallcaps}**          

  **[Moderator:]{.smallcaps}**   **Tara McHugh**

  **[Recorder:]{.smallcaps}**    **Ron Haff**

  **[Presenter:]{.smallcaps}**   
  ------------------------------ ----------------------------------------------------

1.  **What "big picture" pressing problems in your company, industry or
    organization, related to post harvest quality and value-added
    processing and utilization, would you like to see this ARS National
    Program address during the next 5-7 years? In other words, what are
    your organization's priority research needs?**

Grapes: Improving nutritional value in table grapes; optimizing cultural
practices; waste stream recovery including leaves? and pumice; heat cO2
water;

Improved postharvest processing: i.e. preservation and value added;

Extraction/separation/fermentation

Citrus: Development of technology for surface sanitation of fresh
produce; 5 log reduction in juices by non-thermal means; explore value
added for grapefruit solids, particularly juices.

Citrus: New high value products from waste streams; health related
benefits; commercially viable process technology; deal with methodology
issues for nutrients and harmonize USDA/FDA databases.

Apples: Efficiency for measurement of pre-harvest quality; Need to
determine optimal harvest date; improve cleaning, sanitizing; reduce
energy requirements.

Peaches: Improve sweetness in new varieties.

Mangoes: non-destructive pre-harvest quality measurements; Flowering
control on trees; Evaluation of new cultivars for fresh cut and fresh
market.

Pickles: Fermentation without NaCl; Alternative acids for bulk storage;
Evaluate microwave heating technology; Delivery of probiotic lactic acid
bacteria in products; Ohmic heating for thermal processing; Utilizing
LAB genomes to improve fermented vegetables; High resolution analytical
technologies to evaluate chemical changes.

Legumes: Astringency (Identify genetic markers that relate to processing
quality).; Nutrigenomics (Human genes activated by beneficial food
components); Waste streams / new uses for byproducts i.e. fresh cut
vegs, pumices, oats, barley; Develop process to capture waste streams as
food grade (Sweet Potatoes also)/ any high moisture stream.

Sugar: Free trade agreements among National Programs and Federal
Agencies; Unbiased evaluation of conventional, organic, and biotech
products; Carbon footprint monitoring of full product cycle (Most crops
concur); Further develop bio energy and byproducts from sugar biomass.

General: Developing reliable carbon footprint data sets to support
regulatory groups; Ways to stabilize sulpher compounds and chlorophyll
in green vegetables.

Sweet Potatoes: Better understand and manage post harvest quality
factors; Identify components that impact obesity and health (including
diabetes); Develop value added products from byproduct stream.

Broad goals / objectives (Consolidation)

Nutrition:

[Improving nutritional qualities through new Cultivars, processing
approaches]{.underline}. (Overlap with NP301)

Nutri genomics Activation of human genes by nutrients / phytochemicals

Impacts of specialty crops on human disease prevention (Overlap with
NP107)

Co-product recovery and utilization:

Value added products, Bioenergy, stabilize sanitation microbiology
colors and odors.

Improved post harvest processing: lactic acid and alcohol fermentation;

Value added; improved preservation; killing pathogens while maintaining
quality; Surface sanitation; Input optimization of water, energy, other;
non-thermal processes for juice (small scale); microwave, ohmic heating
for thermal processing; Better understanding of management of quality
factors

Improved analytical methodology for nutrient quality and measurement:
Support harmonization of FDA, USDA databases

Develop reliable carbon footprint data sets to support regulatory
agencies; Carbon footprint monitoring of full product cycle.

Cultivar development (NP301): Sweetness, flowering, fresh cut.

Identification of genetic markers related to processing quality

Non invasive technologies to determine preharvest and postharvest
quality as well as preharvest maturity.

Improved , easier coordination among National Programs and Federal
agencies.

Unbiased comparison between conventional, organic, and biotech products.

2.  **Do the current NP 306 Action Plan Components, Problems Areas, and
    Objectives continue to frame the major issues? Have we missed any
    big issues?**

1a) Objective 3. Add safety / residues

Missing the terms/research areas "Carbon Footprint", "Nutrigenomics",
"Genetic markers to predict quality", "cross agency/cross program/ multi
disciplinary", "Normalization of databases", "Reducing processing costs,
environmental impacts, energy conservation, sustainable processing
systems"

OR more generally, "Utilize most current scientific approaches and
technologies such as ..." OR "Emerging technologies..."

3.  **What name and organizational structure would most clearly describe
    the program and capture key issues?**

Discussion:

Naming using option 3 could remove barriers.

Could changing titles remove clarity of what NP306 covers.

Take advantage of the term "specialty crops" since it is specifically
targeted in the Farm Bill, as well as "biobased products" and "organic
farming"

Quality i.e. safety, nutrition, consumer value.

Keep structure focused on science areas (current structure) as leading
by commodity will tend to pit commodities against one another. In
addition, ARS is a science agency. Finally, the commodities have similar
research needs.

Suggested Names:

"Improving consumer value (and utilization) of agricultural products"

"Agricultural processing solutions to consumer and industrial needs"

Use option 3

Include "Market Quality" and "Consumer Acceptance" as terms in title?

  ------------------------------ ----------------------------------------------------
  **[Breakout                    **Group 6 -- Biobased Products, Industrial Crops**
  Group:]{.smallcaps}**          

  **[Moderator:]{.smallcaps}**   **Bill Orts**

  **[Recorder:]{.smallcaps}**    **Maureen Whalen**

  **[Presenter:]{.smallcaps}**   **[Richard Uriarte]{.smallcaps}**
  ------------------------------ ----------------------------------------------------

1.  **What "big picture" pressing problems in your company, industry or
    organization, related to postharvest quality and value-added
    processing and utilization, would you like to see this ARS National
    Program address during the next 5-7 years? In other words, what are
    your organization's priority research needs?**

-   Chemicals & Materials

    -   Small molecules (oils, fatty alcohols, maleic acid, methanol,
        acrylic acid..... hydrogen?)

    -   Value added co-products (from lignin, hemicellulose-derived
        C5's, etc)

    -   News uses for proteins (soy protein, distiller grains,
        glutens...)

-   Systems Approach

    -   Integrated Biorefinery

        -   Fuel

        -   Food

        -   Products

        -   Biopower (electricity)

    -   Remain flexible on conversion technologies

        -   Biochem vs thermochem vs....

    -   Remain flexible on feedstocks

    -   LCA & Economics (back of envelope...)

    -   Create a model "Poster Child" demonstration

        -   Option 1: New Crop (homerun)

            -   Show prototype from field to products....

            -   Risky but huge pay-off

        -   Option 2: Fully integrated biorefinery.....

            -   Corn, soy, sugar, or lignocellulosic integration

    -   Show off USDA capabilities/ USDA "brand"

    -   USDA certifications was discussed

    -   USDA should lead discussions around carbon credit "values" and
        determinations

2.  **Do the current NP 306 Action Plan Components, Problems Areas, and
    Objectives continue to frame the major issues? Have we missed any
    big issues?**

No issues

3.  **What name and organizational structure would most clearly describe
    the program and capture key issues?**

-   Addressed first

-   Picked OPTION 3 with recommendations

    -   Component 1: Foods and FEEDS

    -   Component 3: Some changes

-   Component 1. Foods and Feeds

    -   Problem Area 1a. Defining and Measuring Quality

    -   Problem Area 1b. Factors that Affect Quality

    -   Problem Area 1c. Preserving/Maintaining Quality and
        Marketability

    -   Problem Area 1d. New Food and Feed Processing, Technology, and
        Products

-   Component 2. (as is)

-   Component 3. New Products, Bio-chemicals, -power, -fuel, -processes.

    -   Problem Area 1a. New Feedstocks and Agricultural By-Products

    -   Problem Area 1b. New Products and Processes