Research

Crop Production Research

A comprehensive crop production research effort addresses all major issues faced by our growers to raise buckwheat and mustard (specialty crops). We assist our growers in planning and implementing all aspects of farming operations so that they can fit specialty crops profitably in their cropping systems. Our activities include:

• Arranging meetings to educate growers before the growing season.
• Assisting with crop management decision-making during the growing season.
• Implementing crop management research to answer grower questions.
• Sponsoring research to develop improved crop varieties.
• Assisting growers with technical handouts, bulletins, and extension publications.

These efforts help ensure the best quality products enter our processing plants.

Processing and Quality Research

The latest processing equipment and laboratory technology ensure that our customers consistently receive quality food ingredients. Our processing and research also focus on the new demands of our customers. Some of these activities include:

• Buckwheat flour effects on pasta, bread, and puffed snacks.
• New processing technology to “deheat” mustard.
• Evaluating new uses of food ingredients, such as buckwheat starch for fat replacement and mustard flour as an antioxidant.
• Compare in-house quality lab data with other commercial laboratories.

Marketing Research

We constantly monitor the changing trends in the food industry. We study new ways of utilizing our ingredients. We accomplish this through:

• Direct contact with our customers.
• Participation in trade shows.
• Market research.
• Internet search and promotion.

The Cutting Edge

This integrated research and development approach helps MinnDak Ag provide the best food ingredients to earn customers' trust and stay on the cutting edge of the food ingredients industry.

Farinetta

Buckwheat bran and embryo flour) is the richest natural source of Fagopyritols, Rutin (bioflavonoid/strong antioxidant), high biological value protein comparable with animal proteins (25-35%), high content of lysine, B vitamins, minerals with high iron, high amount of dietary fiber, and vitamin E (especially alpha tocopherol).

High Selenium Food Ingredients

(Patent pending, # 10/773,594) Buckwheat, mustard, spring wheat, durum, and dry edible beans.

BUCKWHEAT VARIETY DEVELOPMENT

• Follow the non-GMO procedure.
• High yield and disease resistance.
• Frost tolerance.
• Functional starch quality for soba noodles.
• Improved seed setting by developming self-pollinated variety.
• Improved nutraceutical values (high rutin and fagopyritols).
• Large leaf size to better compete with weeds.
• Green seed (testa layer) for the specialty Japanese market.

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH

North Dakota State University

Fargo, North Dakota

• Use of buckwheat ingredients in spaghetti.
• Physical and chemical properties of buckwheat spaghetti.
• Test of cooking qualities.
• Sensory testing for buckwheat long and short goods.
• Evaluate functional quality improvement over the regular pasta product

ACHIEVEMENTS OF SPONSORED RESEARCH PROJECTS

• Effect of temperature, moisture, and light on buckwheat seed setting.

Cornell University, Ithaca

• Determination of chemical components of buckwheat milling fractions

Cornell University, Ithaca

• Discovered and identified structures of Fagopyritols, new phytochemicals from buckwheat

Cornell University, Ithaca

• Discovered and identified a new gene responsible for producing a Fagopyritol A1

Cornell University, Ithaca

1. Nitrogen and phosphate interaction on buckwheat production

North Dakota State University, ND

• Release of ‘Koto’, ‘Koma’,  and ‘Green Testa’, three high-yielding buckwheat varieties

CROP MANAGEMENT RESEARCH

University of Minnesota-Crookston (UMC)

Crookston, Minnesota

• New herbicides are being tested for weed control.
• Herbicide carryover and buckwheat establishment.
• Nitrogen and sulfur interaction on buckwheat nutrition.