2005 Annual Report 1.What major problem or issue is being resolved and how are you resolving it (summarize project aims and objectives)? How serious is the problem? What does it matter? Agriculture products, such as wheat, barley, and oat, over-production created pressure to develop new uses for these products to maintain farming industry profitability. Potentially, blends of these proteins are suitable candidates to replace synthetic petroleum-based polymers in numerous applications. However, our understanding of the performance of these proteins in the traditional polymer processing industry is almost non-existent. Rareness of this knowledge restricts the further use of these proteins in food and nonfood industry, and limits the chance of cost-effective protein selection that may be able to compete with synthetic polymers in certain applications. Trial and error procedures will remain the only method to process these proteins, which is a costly process. The research conducted as part of this project is directed at developing the necessary structure-function and processing relationships that will enable the use of these proteins to partially replace synthetic polymers in different food and non-food applications. The thermal properties, flow and processing behavior of native and modified wheat, barley, and oats will be investigated. The information gathered will be used to address specific processing problems in existing commercial food and/or non-food applications. With the increase in the volume of farm-based materials, prices have not been profitable for the producers in the past few years. Solely developing cost-effective farming means cannot solve the problem; it requires new applications for plant-based materials. In addition, consumers need higher quality and nutritious food. Determination of the physicochemical interactions that govern the flow, thermal, and mechanical properties, of cereal grain proteins is necessary to the timely and cost-effective development of new plant-based blend systems and food processing. This research falls under National Program 306 - Quality and Utilization of Agricultural Products; Component 2 - New processes, New Uses, and Value Added Foods and Biobased Products. New products from wheat proteins and the above mentioned proteins will be the result of this project. 2.List the milestones (indicators of progress) from your Project Plan. Objective 1 12 Months: Develop formulation for low carbohydrate bread and cookies using gluten blended with soy, barley, and oats proteins. 24 Months: Develop gluten-Poly(Lactic Acid) and cross-linked gluten- Poly(Lactic Acid) blends. Determine their thermo-mechanical properties and compatibility. 36 Months: Develop a jet cooked gluten and different isolated proteins mixed with lecithin. Determine the effect of the jet cooked material on baked product staling and starch retrogradation. 48 Months: Develop enzymatic method to isolate barley, oats and lupin proteins in their native state. Chemically and enzymatically modify the isolated proteins. Determine the thermal and surface properties of the isolated proteins. 60 Months: Determine the effect of the isolated proteins on the mechanical and rheological properties of gluten. Determine properties of modified wheat proteins and develop new applications. Objective 2 12 Months: Determine the viscoelastic behavior of seed proteins (e.g. wheat gluten, barley, and oats ). 24 Months: Test Multiple-Particle Tracking (MPT) technique and/or diffusing wave spectroscopy (DWS) using protein solutions or other plant biopolymers. 36 Months: Determine the physical properties of seed proteins or blends by MPT and/or DWS. 48 Months: Determine the effect of shear rate deformation on protein solution or suspension concentrations. 60 Months: Determine the linear and non-linear rheological properties of proteins and blends and apply model analysis. Objective 3 12 Months: Find compatible protein-polymer pairs and develop product prototypes. 24 Months: Protein isolation, characterization and chemical modification. 36 Months: Evaluate the mechanical properties of developed polymer blends. 48 Months: Find structure-property relationship of developed polymer blends. 60 Months: Determine the best processing condition and practical application fields. 4a.What was the single most significant accomplishment this past year? Enzymaticaly crosslinked wheat protein showed a high level of interaction with poly(Lactic acid) (PLA). The interaction was apparent on the thermal properties of PLA. This accomplishment will open the door for expanding the use of PLA as a biodegradable material by lowering the cost of PLA blends, since crosslinked gluten is cheaper than PLA. The next step will be to develop products using crosslinked wheat gluten and PLA. 4b.List other significant accomplishments, if any. 1. Some of the physical properties of beta-glucan were studied using the Multiple-Particle Tracking (MPT) technique. Beta-glucan is known as a soluble fiber from oats, which has health benefits such as lowering serum cholesterol levels. However, its physical properties and structure/function relationship is not well known due to solubility issues. This work was done in collaboration with scientists at NCAUR and Johns Hopkins University. This research gives us more insight into beta-glucan’s structure and functional relationship. The results from this work can function as a template for studying wheat, barley, and oat proteins. 2. A biopolymer composite was developed from wheat protein, starch, and corn protein, where wheat protein was the major component. The developed polymer composite could be characterized as a light-weight, fully biodegradable, and machineable material that contains no toxic chemical. The compressive strength was comparable to polypropylene, a synthetic polymer. An invention disclosure is in progress. 4c.List any significant activities that support special target populations. None. 5.Describe the major accomplishments over the life of the project, including their predicted or actual impact. 1. The major accomplishments for 2005 are: (a) The effort made to use different approaches to develop new uses for wheat, barley, and oat proteins. (b) Native proteins, as well as enzymaticaly and chemically modified proteins, were used in synthetic and biopolymer blends to develop new products with unique thermo-mechanical properties. (c) New techniques for testing the properties of these blends were introduced. 2. Another accomplishment was developing a new approach to utilize wheat proteins. The consumption of high protein products has been the trend in the past three years. This project contributed to this need together with the food industry by developing high protein bread and cookies to satisfy the needs of those wishing to reduce their body weight. The developed formulations can be easily utilized by the commercial bakeries. 6.What science and/or technologies have been transferred and to whom? When is the science and/or technology likely to become available to the end-user (industry, farmer, other scientists)? What are the constraints, if known, to the adoption and durability of the technology products? None. 7.List your most important publications in the popular press and presentations to organizations and articles written about your work. (NOTE: List your peer reviewed publications below). None. Review Publications Mohamed, A., Gordon, S.H. 2004. Thermal properties of translutaminase-crosslinked wheat gluten. In: Proceedings of North American Thermal Analysis Society Meeting, October 6, 2004, Williamsburg, Virginia. p. 662. Harry O Kuru, R.E., Mohamed, A., Abbott, T.P. 2004. Synthesis of novel ultraviolet filter s from new crop (jojoba) oil [abstract]. Association for the Advancement of Industrial Crops Conference. p.16. Sessa, D.J., Hojillaevangelist, M.P., Mohamed, A. 2004. Protein concentrates and isolates by ultrafiltration/diafiltration of fatted and defatted soy and lupin meals [abstract]. American Oil Chemists Society. p.116. Hojillaevangelist, M.P., Sessa, D.J., Mohamed, A. 2004. Functional properties of soybean and lupin protein concentrates produced by ultrafiltration/diafiltration [abstract]. American Oil Chemists Society. p. 117. Hojillaevangelist, M.P., Sessa, D.J., Mohamed, A. 2004. Functional properties of soybean and lupin protein concentrates produced by ultrafiltration-diafiltration. Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society. 81(12):153-1157 Liu, Z., Erhan, S.Z., Xu, J. 2004. Preparation, characterization and mechanical properties of epoxidized soybean oil/clay nanocomposites. Materials Research Society Proceedings. p. 322. Kim, S., Sessa, D.J., Lawton Jr., J.W. 2004. Characterization of zein modified with a mild cross-linking agent. Industrial Crops and Products. 20:291-300. Mohamed, A., Peterson, S.C., Hojillaevangelist, M.P., Sessa, D.J., Rayas-Duarte, P., Biresaw, G. 2005. The effect of heat treatment and pH on the thermal, surface, and rheological properties of Lupinus albus protein. Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society. 82(2):135-140. Mohamed, A., Rayas-Duarte, P., Xu, J., Palmquist, D.E., Inglett, G.E. 2005. Hard red winter wheat/Nutrim-OB alkaline fresh noodles: processing and texture analysis. Journal of Food Science. 70:1-7. Kim, S. 2004. Investigation of cross-linking mechanism of proteins with frap technique[abstract]. American Chemical Society Abstracts. p.74 Mohamed, A. 2003. Thermal stability and folding kinetics of lysozyme [abstract]. North American Thermal Analysis Society Meeting. p.29. Xu, J., Bietz, J.A., Carriere, C.J. 2003. The viscoelastic properties of vital wheat gliadin and glutenin suspensions [abstract]. International Gluten Workshop. p.168. Xu, J., Tseng, Y., Inglett, G.E., Carriere, C.J., Wirtz, D. 2004. Multiple-particle tracking study on microheterogeneity of Nutrim-10: a beta-glucan-rich hydrocolloidal extract [abstract]. International Congress on Rheology. p.133-134. Xu, J., Chang, T., Tseng, Y., Inglett, G.E., Wirtz, D. 2005. Multiple-particle tracking study of the microheterogeneity of beta-glucan [abstract]. International Congress of Biorheology and Clinical Hemorheology. 42:126. Xu, J., Tseng, Y., Inglett, G.E., Carriere, C.J., Wirtz, D. 2004. Multiple-particle tracking study of the microheterogeneity of beta-glucan-rich hydrocolloidal extractive suspensions. In: Proceedings of the International Congress on Rheology. Paper No. SU49:1-3. Xu, J., Liu, Z., Erhan, S.Z., Carriere, C.J. 2004. Cross-linkers control the viscoelastic properties of soybean oil based biomaterials. Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society. 81(8):813-816. Kim, S., Xu, J., Carriere, C.J., Willett, J.L. 2003. Phase behavior, shear effect, and rheology of starch solutions [abstract]. National Institute of Standards & Technology - Kyoto International Polymer Science Symposium on Polymer Science. Paper No.27. Kim, S., Xu, J., Biswas, A., Willett, J.L. 2004. Shear-induced aggregate formation in starch solutions [abstract]. American Chemical Society Abstracts. Paper No.788013.