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K-State Today

November 14, 2012

Grain science department receives donation

Submitted by Lisa Moser

With a desire to serve as an industry partner with Kansas State University’s department of grain science and industry, FOSS of Eden Prairie, Minn., donated two near infrared, or NIR, analyzers for use in classroom teaching and research.

“These two machines use near infrared technology to predict the moisture, protein, ash, gluten and water absorption in a minute rather than hours,” said Ron Lindgren, FOSS industry sales manager for milling and grain. “This technology gives the flour millers a quality percentage they can use to make adjustments in their systems right on the milling floor, and it is environmentally friendly since there are no chemicals used in this process.”

One of the machines, the trademarked Profoss in-line flour analyzer, is installed in the Hal Ross Flour Mill on the university's grain science innovation campus. The other machine is a tradmarked NIRS DS2500 flour analyzer that will be used at the mill as well as in the Shellenberger Hall teaching and experimental milling laboratory.

“It is always great to have new technology in the flour mill to enhance our teaching for our students and industry professionals who come to Kansas State for training,” said Mark Fowler, associate director and flour milling curricula manager for the International Grains Program.

The department of grain science and industry is the only place in the world that offers undergraduate education in milling, bakery and feed science and a graduate program in grain science.

In speaking about the program, department head Dirk Maier said, “Our current enrollment is 200 undergraduate students and 54 graduate students. We have 100 percent placement of our students due to the consistent demand for graduates.”

Kansas State University’s grain science department is also home to the International Grains Program which in 2011 conducted 44 courses with 628 participants from 43 countries. The three areas of training fall into flour milling and grain processing, grain marketing and risk management, and feed manufacturing and grain management.

“K-State is the center of excellence in milling, grain processing and bulk materials handling, and we wanted to be a partner in making this equipment available for training and research,” Lindgren said.

In talking about the industry partnership, Maier said, “FOSS is a leader in rapid quality analysis of grain-based food and feed ingredients and products. Donating this state-of-the-art equipment for the benefit of our students, faculty and programs is an outstanding example of a successful private-public partnership in support of our department’s K-State 2025 aspirations.”

To learn more about the department of grain science and industry, please visit the website at www.grains.ksu.edu. For more on FOSS solutions, please visit www.foss.us.