The Cereal Quality Laboratory
Grains are the primary source of nutrition for mankind and present a major portion of American diet and caloric intake. Most people consume grain-based products on a daily basis, and often, many times a day. Grains thus present an ideal opportunity to improve nutritional and health-promoting quality of foods. With high cost of health care and rising incidences of lifestyle diseases like obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, the nutritional quality of foods available to consumers is under increased scrutiny. At the same time, the food industry faces major challenges in delivering foods that can mitigate the various diseases, while meeting consumer sensory expectations and remaining affordable. The Cereal Quality Program maintains collaborative research with plant breeders, biotechnologists, geneticists, and nutritionists to deliver knowledge and grains (primarily corn, wheat, and sorghum) with improved composition and quality for processing into foods that address the challenges facing the industry and consumers.
Major research areas
- Enhancing nutritive quality of grain-based foods through the use of grain components with high human health benefit and improved processing methods
- Grain polymer Chemistry, functionality and novel applications of grain polymers (carbohydrates and proteins)
- Health beneficial effects of grain components especially secondary plant metabolites from underutilized parts (bran, germs, leaves) as influenced by processing
- Application of grain polyphenolics in foods
- Grain quality testing
- Kernel characterization
- Weight, density, and volume determination
- Milling performance
- Oil, protein, and starch quantification by NIR
- Flour mixing behavior
- Tannin quantification
- Starch characterization
- Texture analysis
Capabilities of Cereal Quality Laboratory
- Pilot scale grain processing and baking
- Milling of small grains (wheat, sorghum, etc.)
- Baking laboratories fully equipped for all bakery manufacturing
- Pilot development lab for bakery product development
- Production and quality evaluation of wheat flour and corn tortilla, as well as corn tortilla chips
- Characterization of polyphenols and other secondary metabolites in cereals, pseudocereals, and legumes (quantitative and qualitative tests available for phenols, tannins, flavonoids, anthocyanins, etc.)
- Antioxidant activity testing using various methods: ORAC, TEAC, among others
- UPLC-MS analysis of small molecules and their cellular and animal metabolites
- Advanced SEC/MALS facility including the ranges of molar masses/ molecular weight that can be characterized.
Services provided by the CQL
- Bakery ingredient testing
- Grain quality testing
- Tannins
- Antioxidant capacity
Food Science & Technology Department, Cereal Quality Lab Service rate (2026), Updated February 23, 2026
Food Science & Technology Department, Cereal Quality Lab Service rate (2026), Updated February 23, 2026 – T. Teferra
| Line Item Descriptions (services) | Quantity | Comments | Rates ($) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vanillin-HCl test for tannin | Each | 75 (10+ samples) | $90 |
| Phenol content (Folin Method) | Each | 55 (10+ samples) | $70 |
| ORAC (Acetone Extract) | Each | $230 | |
| Tannin Profile – HPLC Normal phase | Each | $1,250 | |
| Non-Tannin Phenolic profiling – HPLC reverse phase | Each | $1,150 | |
| Carbs Mw average | Each | $825 | |
| Carbs Mw detailed (monomers), HPLC | Each | $2,350 | |
| Grain Physical and chemical analysis (NIR, Chemical) | Each | Minimum 30 samples | $130 |
| Rapid Visco Analyzer (RVA cooking-cooling cycle test) | Each | $215 | |
| Texture analysis (separate charge per parameter: Extensibility, break, shear, texture profile, compression, firmness, stickiness) | Each | $160 | |
| Food Sample color analysis (CELAB 3D Color space (Lab*) | Each* | $50 | |
| Sample grinding (UDY <1 mm) | Each | $20 | |
| Test milling (wheat grain) (Refining), Quadrumat Junior, senior) | Each* | $30 | |
| GlutoPeak Analysis of Samples (gluten strength) | Each* | $105 | |
| Grain NIR Estimation of composition | Each* | $40 | |
| Moisture (one-stage oven method for </=30%) | Each* | $50 | |
| Moisture (two-stage ambient and oven method for </=30%) | Each* | $80 | |
| Starch Digestibility Profile (RDS, SDS, RS, in vitro) | Each | Minimum 4 samples | $750 |
| Protein in vitro Diestibility (pepsin assay) | Each | Minimum 4 samples | $280 |
| Amylose/amylopectin ration | Each* | Minimum 4 samples | $950 |
| Glycemic load (in vitro) | Each* | Minimum 4 samples | $690 |
| Tortilla baking and evaluation | Each | 1/2 day | $5,200 |
| Bread baking and evaluation (yeast leavened, straight dough) | Each* | 1/2 day | $5,500 |
| Bread baking and evaluation (yeast leavened, Sponge & dough) | Each* | 1/2 day | $5,800 |
| Bread baking and evalaution (sourdough) | Each* | 2 days | $6,400 |
| Other technical and statistical support (hourly) | Hour | $310 | |
| Cooking test (beans, rice, noodles, spaghetti) | Each* | $40 | |
| Expedited service (based on technical feasibility) | Each | Base + 50% |
*New listing