Cereal Quality Laboratory

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Dr. Joseph Awika leads the Cereal Quality Lab (CQL). His research focus is grain chemistry, processing and quality: Identifying mechanisms by which secondary plant metabolites and minor grain constituents can be optimized to improve food quality and human health; processing techniques to improve health and nutritional profile of grains. In these endeavors, he collaborates closely with plant breeders and geneticists as well as nutritional biochemists. He is also involved in international projects aimed at using grains to improve livelihood through nutrition and food security for small scale farmers in Africa.

His teaching responsibilities are primarily in the Food Science Program where he teaches the capstone senior level Food Product Development (FSTC 401), as well as the elective Fundamentals of Baking (FSTC 305). He also teaches graduate level Carbohydrate Chemistry (FSTC 631).

Major research areas

• Enhancing nutritive quality of grain-based foods through use of grain components with high human health benefit and improved processing methods
• Grain polymer (protein and carbohydrate) chemistry, functionality, and novel applications
• Health effects of grain components, especially secondary metabolites, and how processing alters these effects
• 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

• 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
  • Wheat and corn tortilla production and tortilla chip production and quality evaluation

• 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

Services provided by the CQL

For more information about Dr. Awika’s lab click on the links below:

Lab Members | News | Publications | Food Science & Cereal Quality