Ethanol By-Product Could Feed Hungry
Posted: September 22, 2009
The ethanol co-product known as DDGs or dried distillers grain is mostly being used right now as livestock feed, but someday it could be used to feed the hungry.
Research has been done at South Dakota State University that indicates the product can be made into a high fiber, protein-rich flour that can then be added to other foods to increase their protein content.
A Google search shows that this is not a new concept. One paper that turns up from Virginia Polytechnic Institute dates back to 1986 and discusses the use of DDG flour as an ingredient for preparing wheat muffins. According to that research, “DDG can be incorporated up to 10% in wheat muffins without significant changes in appearance, texture, flavor, and overall acceptability. Addition of either raisins or blueberries to wheat muffins allowed for an increase in the incorporation level of DDG to 15%. Wheat muffins supplemented with DDG had a higher protein, amino acids, and certain minerals content than wheat muffins without DDG.”
There’s even a patent that was issued in 1993 for an invention related “to a method for utilizing wet distiller’s grain (WDG) or distiller’s dried grain with solubles (DDGS), by-products of the alcohol manufacturing industry, in the preparation of bakery products for human consumption.”
Interesting concept that making ethanol from corn could actually help to feed people who are starving because we are making ethanol from corn. Kinda turns the whole food versus fuel argument on its head.