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The DuPont DuoMcKay and Sinning Take Second in Product Development Competition

Students across the country develop innovative products for the annual DuPont Knowledge Award competition, using Danisco ingredients to create new food products.

This year, the team of senior Josh Sinning and master’s student Krista McKay submitted Sweet Potato and Carrot Crisps. Sinning said the product combines sweet potatoes, carrots, and whole wheat into a healthy cracker-like snack with a barbecue flavor.

“It’s a healthy alternative to potato chips,” Sinning said.McKay was part of a group that spawned the initial crisp

idea, but the project started in the classroom.“Three other students and I started making this product in

the R&D class last year,” McKay said, “No one else wanted to enter the competition, so Josh was placed with me to help finalize the formula and enter the competition.”

Sinning and McKay worked together to establish an acceptable flavor profile for the crisps. They then added two Danisco ingredients to increase shelf life and improve mouthfeel. The pair went on to establish quality and safety standards based on color analysis, water activity, and thick-ness measurements. Finally, they addressed regulatory issues and product costs.

The team applied to the competition primarily for the educational experience.

“To put everything we’ve learned to the ultimate test and come out second in the nation feels amazing,” Sinning said.

McKay added, “I couldn’t believe that all our hard work and long hours in the lab had paid off.”

They received a $5,000 prize and an all-expense-paid trip to Palm Beach, Fla., for the Prepared Foods New Products Conference. Kelly Getty, project adviser, went with them. The group stayed at the Ritz Carlton and sampled a variety of unusual products. The students also got a chance to speak with industry professionals at the conference.

“It was a great chance to network, meet people, and hear about all the great possibilities in the food industry,” McKay said. “The food on the trip was amazing as well.”

The duo encourages other students to try product devel-opment competitions and to be passionate and persistent.

“No matter how ridiculous an idea sounds, you have to try it,” McKay said. “Sometimes the failures in the lab lead to some insight about your product or the process to create it.”

Sinning agreed that the experience is worth the challenge.“If you have a product that could be considered new and

innovative, then incorporate some Danisco ingredients, add a little science, and apply it to a commercial setting,” Sinning said. “The rewards could be amazing.”

— Danny Neely

Winter 2012

At left: Josh Sinning, senior in food science, Kelly Getty, adviser, and Krista McKay, an August 2012 food science master’s s graduate, receive second place in the DuPont Knowledge Award Product Development Competition.Above: Sinning and McKay’s creation — Sweet Potato and Carrot Crisps.

Food Science Institute • 216 Call Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506Phone: 785-532-4057 • Fax: 785-532-6035 • Email: foodsci@k-state.edu http//www.foodsci.k-state.edu

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Upcoming EventsK-State Open House April 20, 2013Kansas State UniversityManhattan, Kansas

Reciprocal Meat Conference (RMC) American Meat Science Association 66th AMSA RMC June 16–19, 2013 Auburn UniversityAuburn, Alabama

Institute of Food Technologists (IFT)July 13–16, 2013McCormick Place SouthChicago, Illinois

International Association for Food Protection (IAFP)July 28–31, 2013Charlotte Convention CenterCharlotte, North Carolina

The food science and indus-try undergraduate program set another record with a fall enrollment of 214. We saw a similar trend with the distance graduate program. On-campus and distance graduate enroll-ment is 135.

Fortunately, we have hired Jay Amamcharla, a new teach-ing and research faculty mem-ber. We hope to fill two more positions at the K-State Olathe campus soon. Those faculty will emphasize food safety teaching,

research, and extension and will synergize their efforts with the food science faculty in Manhattan. These positions will greatly expand the reach and presence of all our programs in the greater Kansas City area and beyond.

Institute faculty and staff are responsible for the edu-cational component of the recently awarded $25 million USDA Coordinated Agricultural Project (CAP) grant,

Shiga-Toxigenic Escherichia coli (STEC) in the Beef Chain: Assessing and Mitigating the Risk by Transitional Science, Education, and Outreach. Additionally, the institute is the education theme leader for the National Center for Food Protection and Defense, a Center of Excellence for the Department of Homeland Security. Both of these initiatives serve to enhance our on-campus and distance teaching programs.

With the program size and projected growth, we are strategically planning for the future. That plan includes strategies to further increase faculty, staff, operational and research funding, and facilities.

Thank you for your continued support, and please visit the institute website for continuous updates. For example, there are several food product development teams in various stages of competition, and the outcomes will be posted to the site. Your financial support has helped with student travel to Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) meetings and inter-national travel to observe food production and processing. Thanks again.

Go Cats!— Curtis Kastner, FSI Director

Food Science Club UpdateThe Food Science Club has

been busy creating and enhancing products for sale. Last semester, the club produced peanut butter/pretzel, raspberry, and mint Pow-ercat-shaped chocolate truffles for Valentine’s Day. Students developed and perfected the formula over two years.

This semester, students Josh Sinning, Kyle McClean, and Zach Downing orchestrated several processing runs for apple butter. Student volunteers assist with these runs in the thermal processing lab in Seaton Hall. This activ-ity serves as an excellent firsthand product processing expe-rience for students. They are able to witness and participate in the forethought that goes into product scale-up, as well as work in a processing environment. The club has produced more than 800 jars to sell in the K-State Dairy Bar and to local retailers.

Students also have been parking cars before home football games. These activities serve as fundraisers to support a club trip to the Fancy Food Show in San Francisco in January. The show gives club members the opportunity to network with industry professionals and observe the variety of pro-cessing techniques and packaging designs in the specialty food marketplace.

Danny Neely, Food Science Club President

continued on page 5

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Fung and Vasavada Share AwardKansas State University’s Daniel Y.C. Fung and Purnendu

C. Vasavada from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls are joint recipients of the 2012 International Association of Food Protection GMA Food Safety Award for their rapid methods workshops. They received plaques and an hono-rarium from the Grocery Manufacturers Association.

The award honors a group or organization for a highly significant food safety development or in recognition of a long history of outstanding contributions to food safety. Fung and Vasavada are recognized for making a difference for more than 30 years through their respective workshops.

Fung said he considers conducting the annual K-State International Workshops on Rapid Methods and Automa-tion in Microbiology as his most outstanding contribution in technology transfer and education. Over three decades, more than 4,500 participants worldwide attended these hands-on workshops. Vasavada served as a guest lecturer for many of the K-State workshops. Congratulations to both.

Tell Us About YourselfFill out this form and return it to: Elsa Toburen, Food Science Institute 216 Call Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506 or email etoburen@k-state.edu

Name ________________________________________________

Spouse’s Name _________________________________________

City ________________________ State ______ ZIP _________

Home Phone __________________________________________

Email _______________________________________________

Graduation Date(s) ____________ Degree(s) ________________

Employer _____________________________________________

Title _________________________________________________

Feel free to attach more information.

FSI Faculty and Students Make Presentations at Various Organizational Meetings2012 Reciprocal Meat Conference

Michael Dikeman. Animal breeding, management and technology to efficiently increase productivity, meat yield, and meat quality of cattle

Collin Corbin, Texas Tech University; Alexandra Christiansen, Kansas State University; and KatieRose McCullough, Texas Tech University. Internship opportuni-ties

Randall Phebus, John Luchansky, Agricultural Research Service, and Harshavardhan Thippareddi, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. $25 million 5-year National Institute of Food and Agriculture Coordinated Agricultural Project grant

2012 International Association of Food Protection Annual Meeting

Randall Phebus (Convenor). Validation to improve meat and poultry safety

2012 Institute of Food Technologists Annual MeetingMinto Michael, Randall Phebus, Harshavardhan

Thippareddi, Jeyam Subbiah, Karen A. Schmidt. Thermal inactivation of Cronobacter sakazakii and Salmonella spp. in nonfat dry milk using thermal-death-time disks

Ashley Pruett, Fadi Aramouni, Mark Haub, Scott Bean, Jeff Wilson, Julie Louk, Tara Lopez. A comparison of the post prandial glycemic effect of sorghum and other com-monly consumed grains

Brennan Smith, Magali Bize, Thomas Herald, Scott Bean, Fadi Aramouni. Addition of tannin containing sorghum bran to wheat-free sorghum-based breads

Magali Bize, Brennan Smith, Fadi Aramouni, Scott Bean, Thomas Herald. Evaluation of egg protein in gluten-free sorghum bread

Brennan Smith, Scott Bean, Fadi Aramouni, David Sessa, Gordon Selling, Shuping Yan. Factors influencing zein dough formation

Manasi Nimkar, J. Smith. Comparison of antioxidant property of black pepper with other spices and its correlation to reduction of heterocyclic amines in cooked beef patties

Sara Whetstone, Koushik Adhikari, Edgar Chambers. Impact of seasonings on sensory attributes of beef across two USDA grades and three cuts of steak

Alex Maxwell, Joshua Sinning, Daniel Neely, Kyle McLean, Kelly Getty. Commercial-scale apple butter processing provides real-world learning experience for undergraduate food science students

Nigel Harper, Kelly Getty. Effect of salt reduction on growth of Listeria monocytogenes in meat and poultry systems

Anubha Garg, Paul Mitchell, Natarajan Padmanabhan, Sajid Alavi, Hulya Dogan. Modeling of microstructure for-mation and oil-uptake during frying of expanded extrudates

Moses Khamis, Swathi S Kodavali, Hulya Dogan, Sajid Alavi, Jeff Wilson. Effect of extrusion on physicochemical properties of wheat flour fractions

Hyma Gajula, Hulya Dogan, Jon Faubion. Mixing behav-ior and structural properties of dough systems at constant and optimized water absorption levels

Paul Mitchell, Hulya Dogan, Rebecca Miller. Effects of tempering conditions on first break performance in wheat milling

4

It’s All About Experience: Internships Provide Education Beyond the ClassroomEach year, K-State food science students work diligently

to obtain summer internships. They apply to a variety of companies throughout the fall and spring semesters. An internship can offer students firsthand industry experience and often lead to full-time positions.

While internships are not required, they are highly recommended by the Food Science Institute faculty.

“Fortunately we have some companies that prefer to come to K-State to interview for internships, and we encourage our students to take advantage of that,” said Curtis Kastner, director of the Food Science Institute. “Some may take a semester, but students are well compensated.”

Students may find internships locally, while others travel across the country for theirs. Sarah Falke, senior, spent her summer working in Kansas City for Original Juan, a gour-met specialty foods producer. Falke performed daily safety inspections of the processing floor, and she was able to give development input for some products.

“I got to train some employees on cross-contamination and allergen control,” Falke said. “That’s as real as it gets when it comes to applying class material.”

Amber Laudick, senior, had a similar experience on the East Coast. She was working as a quality assurance intern for the American Italian Pasta Company, the biggest pasta producer in North America.

“Quality assurance is about a lot more than just taking samples and results,” Laudick said. “It’s about taking those results and doing something with them. It’s about collaboration and teamwork.”

Internship experiences can help students decide what position they might want to pursue after graduation. Danny Neely, junior, made this connection after his summer intern-ship with Schreiber Foods. Neely was a product develop-ment intern in Schreiber’s Yogurt Division.

“I really enjoyed doing development work and applying what I’d learned at school; however, now I’m looking to round out my education by gaining some quality assurance experience,” Neely said.

Internships provide firsthand experience, but not all internships take place in a food production environment. Kristin Wirth, senior, worked for the K-State Research and Extension office in Ellis County as a family and consumer sciences intern. She helped with community enrichment programs for children, adults, and the elderly.

“It was great to work with people in the community and apply what I’ve learned or to teach them about food safety or food systems in general,” Wirth said. “Being able to have contact with individuals in the industry was also great, and I enjoyed helping them with their questions or concerns.”

— Danny Neely

Alumnus Featured as Commencement SpeakerPetros Levis, general manager of

Medallion Laboratories, a division of General Mills Inc., Minneapolis, Minn., gave the spring 2012 commencement ad-dress for the College of Human Ecology.

Levis has turned his specialty knowl-edge of food science and sensory analysis into a flourishing career in the food industry. As part of the innovation tech-nology and quality organization, he is leading a unit that is committed to be the premier testing laboratory for the food industry.

While at K-State, Levis received his bachelor’s, master’s (flavor chemistry), and doctoral (sensory science) degrees in food science in 1988, 1993, and 1998 respectively. Petros is currently president of the Human Ecology Alumni Advisory Board.

Levis began his career as a graduate assistant at K-State’s Sensory Analysis Center. During Levis’ first four years of employment at Pillsbury, the center carried

out research projects totaling more than $300,000 for the Pillsbury Company.

After Pillsbury merged with Gen-eral Mills, Levis created an internship with General Mills for K-State sensory analysis students. This is an invaluable opportunity for students to have indus-trial experience in one of the premier food companies in the world.

He supports the students in food and sensory science, as well as the colleges of Agriculture and Human Ecology. Levis has received the College of Hu-man Ecology’s Partner Award given to an alumnus who helped forge a strong corporate partnership with the college

to enhance student and faculty research, internships, and other educational opportunities.

Levis promotes internships at General Mills for sensory analysis students and each year returns to campus to conduct a class lecture and meet with students to discuss industrial opportunities and challenges.

5

New Agreement Enables Soldiers to Earn Food Science Degrees Soldiers seeking a bachelor’s degree in food science and

industry now have an educational road map to direct their way because of a new agreement between Kansas State Uni-versity and the U.S. Army’s Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges program.

Under the agreement, called a Servicemembers Oppor-tunity Colleges Army Degree or SOCAD, soldiers who are veterinary food inspection specialists can earn and accumu-late transferable credit through a network of educational providers. That means as soldiers are deployed or change duty stations, they can connect with local community colleges and universities to earn credit that can eventually be used toward a bachelor’s degree in food science and in-dustry at K-State. Soldiers finish their degree requirements by completing their remaining credit hours through the university’s online course offerings.

“Active duty military are constantly moving, making it hard to complete a degree with one school,” said Deanna Retzlaff (Ph.D. ’02 food science), assistant professor in the Food Science Institute.

Through these types of programs, soldiers can apply credits from multiple schools to a degree from one, making it easier for them to advance their career, Retzlaff said. Many

SOCAD programs also are available to spouses of soldiers and their adult children worldwide. Currently, 12 service members are working toward a food science and industry bachelor’s degree through this program at K-State.

The Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges Army Degree program provides information to soldiers that helps them find degrees that will advance their military careers. It matches their military experience with educational opportu-nities so they can maximize their education benefits.

“Formalizing a SOCAD agreement was a multiyear project that required input from food science faculty mem-bers, veterans’ affairs specialists, the Division of Continuing Education, and K-State administration, as well as the input and approval from the Service Members Opportunity Col-lege Consortium,” Retzlaff said. “The agreement is one way the university shows its commitment to helping our military forces and their families achieve their educational goals.”

Additional information about Servicemembers Oppor-tunity Colleges Army Degrees can be found at http://www.soc.aascu.org. Learn more about K-State’s online food science programs at http://www.foodsci.k-state.edu.

— Division of Communications and Marketing

Julie Hartsel, left, sings the National Anthem at the spring 2012 College of Agriculture commencement. Hartsel earned a B.S. in food science and industry and a Meat Science Certificate. She is an associate quality and process control manager for Hormel Foods Corporation.See pages 6 and 10 for pictures of the spring 2012 undergraduate food science and industry class.

The club also hosts guest presentations. This semester a representative from Kellogg’s spoke to the club. Schreiber Foods and Cargill are expected in the future. During these presentations, club members get to meet potential employ-ers and usually have the opportunity to interview for jobs or internships.

The club is selling polo shirts printed with “Kansas State

University Food Science” to give students a business-casual option that represents their major. Contact Elsa Toburen (785-532-4057) to purchase polos and apple butter.

Holiday jam production will begin again later this semes-ter. This seasonal treat is prepared in Seaton Hall and will be sold at the Dairy Bar. The club will continue to look for more specialty product opportunities.

Food Science Club Update, continued from page 2

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Just Like Dad: University a Family Affair for KastnersFather really does know best — especially when it comes

to the workplace. That’s according to Kansas State Univer-sity faculty member Justin Kastner who is following in his fathers’ footsteps by working for the university, too.

He says his dad is more than a parent — he’s also a mentor, role model, colleague, and friend.

Justin Kastner, associate professor of food safety and security, loves that he sometimes gets to work with his dad, Curtis Kastner, director of the Food Science Institute.

The younger Kastner, who earned a bachelor’s degree from K-State in 1998 and joined the faculty in 2003, said his dad was a big influence on his career choice.

“Dad has always said the best job is being a professor. He’s had opportunities to do many other things, but he’s always been so invested in K-State and the community,” said Justin. “What I admire most about my dad is that he instills so much confidence in me and others. When I think about my children, I want to draw out of them the same can-do attitude that my dad taught me and my brother Jason.” (See photo on page 7.)

Even though the Kastners are in different departments, their similar fields mean they attend many of the same meetings and often travel to conferences together. That’s when it’s common to hear Curtis Kastner being called Big K, and Justin Kastner going by Little K.

“It’s an honor to work with him. I’ve learned so much from him, especially about interacting with others,” Justin said. “I’ve also tried, like my dad, to aim for perfection but settle for excellence.”

Curtis Kastner is more than a dad — he’s a friend, Justin said.

“I really enjoy our friendship, it’s very special,” he said. “Dad is strong enough to noticeably shake your hand firmly, but so gentle in spirit. As such, he is a very approachable, wise, strong, and widely respected man.”

His dad has always given him plenty of good advice, but Justin said there is one thing that has always stuck with him. It was when he was a boy and playing baseball.

“Dad told me, ‘Don’t let others dictate how fast you warm up,’” Justin said. “What he was telling me was don’t let oth-ers dictate your pace of life — what you’re supposed to do or not to do. It’s been a pearl of wisdom that I’ve really held on to, particularly when it comes to life. The expectations and demands on all of us are enormous. There are loads of dis-tractions, too. While we all bear responsibility for respond-ing to demands, sometimes we need to simply say, “You are welcome, but just not right now.”

— Division of Communications and Marketing

Justin Kastner, left, with his dad Curtis visited original cattle trails while Justin gathered information for the book “150 Years of Kansas Beef,” commemorating the 150th anniversary of Kansas’ statehood.

Food science and industry graduates ready to receive bachelor of science degrees at spring 2012 commencement. This was the largest graduating class, and the remaining graduates are pictured on page 10.

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Melvin Hunt Honored by AMSAThe American Meat Science Association presented the

2012 R. C. Pollock Award to K-State’s Melvin Hunt on June 19 at the AMSA 65th Reciprocal Meat Conference in Fargo, N.D.

“Dr. Hunt’s reputation as a preeminent meat color re-searcher is well-known throughout the world,” said Thomas Powell, executive director of AMSA. “His service to the meat industry and the meat science discipline spans two decades of teaching, mentoring, and research.”

After completing bachelor’s and master’s degrees at K-State, he began his career as a research chemist for Tennessee Eastman Company.

He returned to K-State as a faculty member in the Department of Animal Sciences and Industry in 1975. Hunt served as chair of the food science and industry undergradu-ate program for 19 years.

Hunt is internationally recognized for his expertise in meat color measurement and was the primary author of the Guidelines for Meat Color Measurement, which is the only comprehensive document on meat-color measurement available to meat scientists.

In the last six years, he has authored or co-authored 51 refereed journal articles, and he has been a speaker at national and international conferences.

Hunt is considered to be among the top five meat color experts in the world. His former graduate students hold prominent positions in government, industry, and academia. He has been recognized by several organizations for contri-butions to research, teaching, and advising.

Students Share Results at Undergraduate Research Showcase

On April 27, 2012, the K-State chapter of Gamma Sigma Delta hosted its annual College of Agriculture Undergradu-ate Research Showcase. This event gives undergraduate students in agriculture-related majors the opportunity to present and display research they have conducted as part of College of Agriculture or university honors projects or research supervised by a faculty member. Sixteen stu-dents from agricultural communications and journalism, agronomy, animal sciences and industry, bakery science and management, and food science and industry presented topics through poster and oral presentations.

Posters were judged and scored, and awards were given to the top six presentations. The winners included three food science and industry students and a bakery science and management student.

Sarah Falke (food science), The effect of eggs on the stal-ing rate and sensory properties of gluten-free bread products

Juhui Jeong (bakery science), Effect of reduced-sodium salt in bread baking

Amber Laudick (food science with research in animal science), The role of toll-like receptor 4 in gluconeogenic gene expression upon treatment with saturated fatty acids

Alex Maxwell (food science), Commercial-scale apple butter processing provides real-world learning experience for undergraduate food science students

Jason Kastner, who completed a bachelor’s degree in food science and industry in 2004, is shown with Haitian children. He went to Haiti with a group of doctors to set up a children’s clinic. Kastner is a pediatrician in Gallatin, Tenn.

8

Food Science Students Tour Italy during Spring BreakThe sunset in Florence. The aroma of wood-fired pizza.

The taste of century-old balsamic vinegar straight from the barrel. Food science students enjoyed these sensational sensory experiences during a trip to Italy last spring.

Professor emeritus Melvin Hunt hosts a study abroad opportunity such as this each year. He led the group first to Milan, where students visited the Milan Cathedral and toured the Galleria.

“The city tour included a viewing of The Last Supper,” said Josh Sinning, senior from Hiawatha.

The group then traveled to Venice where they got to process gelato. The students also saw an organic goat cheese farm and an olive oil processing facility.

Next, they toured a balsamic vinegar production facility in Modena, where they found barrels of balsamic vinegar that were more than 100 years old.

“It is amazing how they let a product sit in barrels for up to 100 years,” Sinning said. “There are no words to de-scribe the taste of 100-year-old balsamic vinegar straight from the barrel!”

Students also took a cooking class from a world-class chef, met a glass blower, and visited a traditional outdoor market.

“They have been doing outdoor markets for thousands of years. It’s so different than the way we do things, but I think better in many ways,” Sinning said.

This was one of the differences students noticed be-tween Italy and the United States. Amber Laudick, senior from De Soto, noted another difference.

“I brought back an appreciation for our regulations, and an admiration for the traditions and rich culture of a country with such history,” Laudick said.

Laudick especially enjoyed the view in Tuscany.“I definitely loved seeing the small towns near and

around Siena in the Tuscan Hills,” Laudick said. “All of the markets and locals with a beautiful scene of the clock tower atop the Tuscan Hills in Siena were amazing!”

For Laudick and Sinning, the Italy trip proved to be not only an academic exercise but also a personal growth experience.

“I feel like I had a completely unique experience that helps to round me out as an individual, while realizing that I can go anywhere and do anything, and that the world is at my fingertips,” Laudick said.

Hunt will be taking students to Spain this spring. Sinning will be going with the group again, using money he won at this year’s DuPont competition (see page 1).

“The most rewarding part of the trip was visiting all of the places and seeing so many food processes,” Sinning said. “There is no other affordable trip where you could possibly go and see firsthand, behind the scenes, all of the various places we visited.”

— Danny Neely

Question and Answer with ‘Dr. Jay’The Food Science Institute welcomes its

newest faculty member.Jayendra Amamcharla recently joined the

Kansas State University food science faculty. He came to K-State from North Dakota State University in July with a strong background in dairy chemistry. In addition to teaching multiple classes, he is working on a cheese curd product with one of the research and development teams. He also attended several meetings of the Food Science Club. Danny Neely interviewed Dr. Jay to get more of his story:

What is your educational background?I obtained a bachelor’s degree in dairy technology in

1998 from Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University, India, and a master’s degree in dairy engineering in 2001 from National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), India. Subsequently, I received my doctorate in agricultural and biosystems engineering in 2008 from North Dakota State University. Before coming to K-State, I had a post doctorate position at South Dakota State University.

What classes do you teach?I am teaching Physical Methods of Food

Analysis (FDSCI 728) and Research and Devel-opment of Food Products (FDSCI 740).

What is your favorite part of being a professor?Most importantly, being a professor gives me

an opportunity to work closely with undergradu-ate and graduate students. Are you familiar with the time lapse video technique? That is exactly what I will be seeing in students’ growth.  

What made you choose Kansas State University?K-State provides an excellent working environment.

People here are easy to work with, and there is lot of support from the faculty, students, and administrators.

What are you most looking forward to in your time at Kansas State?

I am looking forward to playing multiple roles as a teacher, a researcher, and as a mentor.

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Dairy Products Team Competes in National Contest

K-State’s Dairy Products Judging Team placed 11th out of 16 teams at the national contest in Springfield, Mo. Team members included Andrea Giebfried, Natalia Junqueira, and Alexander Thompson, with Kyle Clinton as the alternate. Soumya Bala was the graduate student competitor. Individu-ally, Junqueira placed third in butter, and Bala placed third in cheddar cheese and butter. All participants were food science and industry students. Professor Karen Schmidt coaches the team.

Cooking Up Gluten-Free Goodies: Team’s Work May Expand Sorghum MarketA K-State professor and a group of food science graduate

students are conducting research that could create new food products for individuals with celiac disease, while expanding the market for sorghum grown by Kansas farmers.

Celiac disease is a digestive disease triggered by eating gluten, which is found in wheat, rye, and barley. It is esti-mated nearly 1 percent of Americans have the disease, and from 7 to 8 percent of the population consumes gluten-free products.

Fadi Aramouni, K-State professor of food science, said the university’s research for gluten alternatives began in 2006 when sorghum farmers were looking for alternative uses for the grain — for which Kansas is typically the No. 1 producer — and the manufacturing of gluten-free products started to take off.

“In the United States, sorghum was mostly used for feed.But with the growth in the gluten-free market and the avail-ability of food sorghum, we have now started seeing a lot more sorghum used in these types of formulations,” he said.

Aramouni said the research “began from scratch” and fo-cused on developing a tortilla made from sorghum. He and the students looked at the six varieties of sorghum grown in Kansas and determined which one they thought would work best. They considered the hardness of the grain, its protein, carbohydrate and fiber content, shelf life, quality of dough, and taste.

“From that first piece of research, we realized there is a lot more to be done at the milling stage of this, because it turns out that the particle size during the milling will affect the properties of the sorghum flour,” he said.

Sorghum tends to form a batter rather than a dough, so eggs and additives, such as gums, are mixed in to create the desired structure.

Kathryn Deschenes, a K-State graduate student from Ellsworth who was diagnosed with celiac disease at age 17, was tapped to be a taste tester for the new gluten-free prod-ucts after meeting Aramouni at a tire shop in 2008.

“We were talking about celiac disease, and that’s what he said he did his research on,” she said. “He said he’d be interested in having someone with the disease in his lab as a better taste tester.”

Deschenes said gluten-free products of the past didn’t taste good and weren’t readily available in grocery stores.

“When more products come out, people with celiac disease will pick the higher-quality, better-tasting products,” she said. “We will stop buying cardboard-tasting products.”

Since 2008, Deschenes has changed her major from journalism to food science and is now part of Aramouni’s re-search team, which includes food science graduate students Ashley Pruett, of Atchison, and Marc Bianchi, of Saleilles, France.

With the help of K-State’s Department of Grain and Science Industry and the U.S. Department of Agriculture laboratory in Manhattan, the researchers have been able to develop tortillas, breads, Belgian waffles, and waffle cones from sorghum.

Their research — much of which is funded by the Kansas Department of Agriculture — also includes comparing the glycemic index of their sorghum products to those made of wheat, corn, and rice.

The glycemic index measures how a food with carbohy-drates raises blood glucose.

“We discovered there possibly could be a specific particle size of sorghum flour that will have the best effect on the glycemic index,” Pruett said. “It could provide a lower glyce-mic index compared to other grains.”

For the past three years, the sorghum-based products cre-ated by the research team have won first prize in the AACC International competition. Those products were Crunchums, popped sorghum with raspberry-jalapeno flavoring; Tisan, a tea flavored with orange and pineapple; and Tropical Pretzel, a multigrain pretzel filled with a mango and walnut mix.

Those wins translate into exposure for K-State’s research and sorghum-based products — a Japanese television station did a segment on Crunchums — and more job opportunities for students who are testing and developing products.

“This is not cooking. This is science,” Aramouni said.Currently, the researchers are working on developing soft

pretzels, sweet rolls, and dinner rolls using sorghum.“It’s important because better-tasting products are needed

for people who need to eat gluten-free food,” he said.— Nancy Peterson

Food Packaging Distance Course Offered Summer 2013

In summer 2012, Professor Kay Cooksey, Clemson University Cryovac Endowed Chair, taught an on- campus food packaging course. Seniors Maliha Mithani and Fritz Nabwayo and master’s students Kayleen Motos, Dan Wadyka, and Kate Gilbert attended. The course will be offered as a distance-education course during the summer 2013 session.

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Faculty and Students Receive HonorsProfessor John Unruh received the Gamma Sigma Delta

Outstanding Advising Award. Unruh is the undergraduate food science and industry chair and advises more than 50 students. He was instrumental in the development of the Food Science Freshman Orientation class that has been taught for two years.

Krista McKay, who completed her master’s degree in 2012, received the Gamma Sigma Delta Outstanding M.S. Teaching Award. She served as the head teaching assistant for the Food Microbiology Laboratory with an enrollment of 53 students.

Manasi Nimkar, master’s student in food science, placed second overall in the toxicology and safety evaluation divi-sion of the Graduate Student Research Paper Competition at the Institute of Food Technologists Annual Expo in Las Vegas, Nev. Her poster focused on the effect of heterocyclic amine formation by black pepper and other spices in cooked beef patties. Her major professor is J. Scott Smith.

As an undergraduate, Donka Milke was recognized for completing a rigorous training program in K-State’s Biosecurity Research Institute and was able to assist with a ground beef food safety project. She graduated in spring 2012 and is working toward a master’s degree in food science.

Undergraduate Danny Neely wrote an essay about the importance of having food scientists who can explain complicated topics such as pink slime to journalists. He received a $5,000 scholarship from the Meat Industry Suppliers Alliance Foundation.

Students Make Finals with Yo-FizzFood science students Clinton Kyle, John Kuffler,

Gordon Harton, and Alex Thompson made it to the finals at the 2012 Dairy Research Institute New Product Competition with a dairy drink called Yo-Fizz.

The product is a carbonated yogurt smoothie devel-oped as a healthy alternative to soda. This beverage is low in fat and a good source of protein, calcium, and vitamin A, making it a healthful way to quench thirst.

Professor Fadi Aramouni served as the faculty adviser.

Spring 2012 food science and industry bachelor of science degree graduates wait for commencement to begin. More graduation photos on pages 5 and 6.

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Field Trip to Mexican Border Inspires Students Studying Food SecurityAbout 300,000 cattle a year pass through the national

security checkpoint at the Santa Teresa, N.M., port of entry.Last summer, students from K-State and several other

universities went to New Mexico to observe the intricate process of maintaining secure borders.

“We take students on field trips to learn about the com-plexity of the food system, to see firsthand why it’s impor-tant to have an interdisciplinary approach to studying trade issues that relate to the food system and security,” said Justin Kastner (B.S. ’98 food science and industry), co-director of the Frontier program and an associate professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine.

The Frontier program is a cooperative educational pro-gram between Kansas State University and New Mexico State University that focuses on border security, food secu-rity, and trade policy. The program is funded in part by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the National Center for Food Protection and Defense, which has head-quarters at the University of Minnesota.

Twelve students from K-State went on a six-day field trip in August. The students split into two groups and spent half a day at the cattle crossing and the other half at a citizen crossing. Being able to watch border security agents and other professionals in action and talk to them about their jobs helps students decide their future careers and build ex-citement for their prospects, according to Kastner and Steve Toburen, Frontier Interdisciplinary eXperiences, or FIX, program coordinator.

Other Frontier faculty members include Abbey Nutsch (B.S. ’94, Ph.D. ’98 food science), assistant professor of ani-mal sciences and industry at K-State, and Jason Ackleson, associate professor of government at New Mexico State.

The program stresses the importance of skills like criti-cal thinking, writing, communication, and interdisciplinary thought. The field trip shows the students how to put these skills to use.

“When we go on field trips, students get to see imme-diately why they are so important,” Kastner said. “We have an obligation to do all that we can to creatively enrich the educational experience of students, and I believe the field trips are a great way to do that.”

K-State students on the trip included: Kassie Curran, senior in food science and industry; Danny Unruh, B.S. ’12 food science and industry/political science); Amy Sents, B.S. ’11 animal sciences and industry, and Ryan Fuerte, master’s students in public health; Preston Lagemann, junior in food science and industry/agricultural economics; Sean Cochran, senior in English; Thomas Regier, third-year veterinary medicine; Eric Zeak, junior in food science and industry; Heather Chance, M.S. ’11 public health; Nick Sevart, B.S. ’11 food science and industry; Ryan Fuerte, master’s student in food science; and Venkata Pasupulleti, master’s student in biomedical sciences.

Students from New Mexico State University, the Univer-sity of Minnesota, and the Georgia Institute of Technology also attended.

— Division of Communications and Marketing

Frontier program members walk through cattle pens at the Santa Teresa, N.M., port of entry on the border with Mexico.

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Spring and Summer Food Science Graduates

Graduate Students

DoctorateNigel Harper — Major Professor: Kelly GettyJasdeep Saini — Co-Major Professors: Daniel Fung

and James MarsdenBrennan Smith — Co-Major Professors: Fadi Aramouni

and Scott Bean

Master of Science*Tamrat Belete — Major Professor: Abbey NutschMagali Blize — Major Professor: Fadi Aramouni *Ellen Cyphers — Major Professor: Karen Schmidt*Joanna Duckworth — Major Professor: Abbey Nutsch*David Federochak — Major Professor: Kelly Getty*Kathryn Kadlec — Major Professor: J. Scott Smith*Deborah Kane — Major Professor: Kelly GettyKrista McKay — Co-Major Professors: Kelly Getty

and James Marsden*Jennifer Michels — Major Professor: Fadi Aramouni*Jill Moline — Major Professor: Kelly GettyAshley Pruett — Major Professor: Fadi Aramouni*Jeffrey Rotondi — Major Professor: Elizabeth Boyle*Bryan Shiplett — Major Professor: Karen Schmidt*Jesse Stinson — Major Professor: Fadi Aramouni*Justin Turner — Major Professor: Fadi Aramouni*Karie Ann Vander Werf — Major Professor: Elizabeth Boyle*Theresa Witeof — Major Professor: J. Scott Smith

* Distance

Undergraduate Students

Bachelor of ScienceCaroline Bacon (dual degree)(cum laude)*David BareitherMadison Beck (cum laude)Austin BlossJessie Briggs (honors)(summa cum laude)Carlie BrownAbigail Browning*Brent BussingerNathan CottinghamGarret Dietz*Raquel Falero*Aaron GrahamJulie HartselChase LehnerPhillip MartinezAndrea McGowanJustin Meier*Alma MendozaDonka Milke (magna cum laude)Cole Pearson*Charles Pickman*Sara Price*Eric Putnam*Michael ScarboroughRebecca Sullivan (cum laude)Zhenhua Sun (cum laude)Sophia Thompson (dual degree)Daniel UnruhShuang WuYingnan Zhao

Food Science Minor*Cynthia Currey

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Danny Unruh, center, is shown with Bill Muir, retired Student Government Association adviser, and Amy Button Renz, president of the K-State Alumni Association. Unruh (B.S. ‘12 food science and industry/political science), Manhattan, earned the Anderson Senior Award for Leadership from the K-State Alumni Association. His campus leadership roles included serving as student body president (2010–2011).