Source: TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY submitted to NRP
GLOBAL TRACING AND RECALL SYSTEM FOR U.S. GRAINS: PROOF-OF-CONCEPT
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
NRI COMPETITIVE GRANT
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0204209
Grant No.
2004-35605-16122
Cumulative Award Amt.
(N/A)
Proposal No.
2005-04526
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Jan 1, 2005
Project End Date
Feb 28, 2009
Grant Year
2005
Program Code
[230.1]- (N/A)
Recipient Organization
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
750 AGRONOMY RD STE 2701
COLLEGE STATION,TX 77843-0001
Performing Department
STATE CHEMIST
Non Technical Summary
This Proof of Concept research involves developing a system for marking and rapidly identifying the origin of grain in a bulk shipment, enabling trace back to individual fields. Research areas include developing and testing a grain marking and delivery system and developing prototype software to track the movement of grain through the marketing channel. We will explore implementation protocol for this technology across the U.S. grain handling/marketing system including a cost and benefit analysis.
Animal Health Component
50%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
50%
Developmental
50%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
4041549106060%
4041599106040%
Knowledge Area
404 - Instrumentation and Control Systems;

Subject Of Investigation
1549 - Wheat, general/other; 1599 - Grain crops, general/other;

Field Of Science
1060 - Biology (whole systems);
Goals / Objectives
1) Develop a marker that possesses physical and chemical properties similar to native grain, does not segregate during handling, and identifies grain from an individual field. 2) Design and test a delivery system for tracing caplets and assess the best point of delivery on the combine or first collection point in the grain marketing system. 3) Evaluate scanning technology and create a data retrieval and management system that can trace grain movement and assess the feasibility of scaling this system up to handle the entire U.S. grain marketing system. 4) Analyze the economies of implementing a global grain tracing system including the economic benefits of a recall system that tracks the passage of grain from the farm to the end-user.
Project Methods
Task 1: Develop a physical marking system using several forms of wheat material and starch. Several processing techniques used to manufacture tracers will be tested and tracer caplets will evaluated for durability and printing capability. Caplet durability measurements will include testing for friability using a tumbling test. Caplet density will be measured using a gas pycnometer (Model 930, Bechman Instruments, Inc., Fullerton, CA). We will explore several applications or bar coding systems using commercial vendors, and assess the ability of the systems to successfully write and read bar codes in laboratory scale production. Commercially available muti-dextrin coating products will be evaluated for their efficacy as a protective coating. Task 2: Design and test a delivery system for tracing caplets, the development of the caplet delivery system will be based on the design objective of dispensing approximately 5 caplets per kilogram of grain, with minimal lost time and inconvenience for the combine operator. We will design, build, and test a system that will attach to the unloading system of the combine. The dispensing mechanism will consist of a small (~30 liter) hopper and an electrically powered metering mechanism. Assuming the caplets are about the same size and density as the grain, the target dispensing rate of 5 caplets per kg of grain constitutes about 0.015% caplets on a mass basis. The caplet hopper will be equipped with a cleanout door to allow the discharge of unused caplets. Task 3: Create a data retrieval and management system that can trace grain movement The database will be developed using Oracle. A user interface language such as Visual Basic or Visual C++ or others will be used to develop a limited user interface to allow the users to query the database regarding samples and to generate a limited number of standard reports required to support the system. A number of key components will be involved in developing the "proof-of-concept" system. These components include the following: Data Entry from Grain Point of Origin; Data Entry at Points Along the Transportation Line; A statistically valid sampling procedure Task 4: Analyze the economies of implementing a global grain tracing system: Pro-forma budgets will be used to measure costs and will include an examination of the complexity of the traceability system; the time and cost of plan design; cost of training; and cost of control and record keeping for each handler in the grain marketing system. The time and cost of plan design will utilize simulation modeling. The cost associated with keying data and transmitting data for the trace back system will be collected during a test of bar coded tracers and software systems at a country elevator and inland terminal elevator as part of the proof of concept research.

Progress 01/01/08 to 12/31/08

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Three types of tracing caplets composed of edible protein-free ingredients have been developed and coated with different amounts of coating materials by properly combining several processing variables. Throughout several physical tests and evaluation processes, coated tracing caplets were assessed for their suitability for grain handling and storage. Preliminary progress for bar-code printing on caplets was accomplished in 2008. Outputs yielded a tracer that fulfills the "Proof-of-Concept" phase of the project. PARTICIPANTS: Alex Thomasson, Professor, Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Texas A&M University Ruixiu Sui, Research Associate Professor, Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Texas A&M System K.M. Lee, Assitant Research Scientist, Office of the Texas State Chemist, Texas AgriLife Research Paul Armstrong, Scientist, U.S. Grain Marketing and Production Research Center, Manhattan, KS, USDA ARS TARGET AUDIENCES: Not relevant to this project. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.

Impacts
Direct compressible formulations were used to prepare 3 different types of tracing caplets. The prepared uncoated tracing caplets were tested for moisture adsorption, hardness, durability, and storability by USDA-ARS, Manhattan, KS. Uncoated tracing caplets were coated with different coating materials to produce caplets with 1%, 2%, and 3% theoretical weight gains by properly controlling coating processing variables using a laboratory-scale coating apparatus. The results of coated tracing caplet tests that are being done by USDA-ARS show that the physical properties of coated caplets vary with caplet material, coating thickness, and conditioning time at a specified RH and temperature. Based on these test results, the tracing caplets assessed as a proper tracer with the most suitable physicochemical properties for the grain traceability system were determined and will be examined for printing characteristics.

Publications

  • No publications reported this period


Progress 01/01/07 to 12/31/07

Outputs
OUTPUTS: The tracing caplet properties including hardness, flowability, durability, and storability were tested by USDA-ARS in Manhattan, KS. The Tangential abrasion dehulling device (TADD) used for corn hardness was used to measure relative durability between the tracer types and the influence of MC. A rough determination of the EMC of the tracers to determine what RH and T conditions should be used to obtain specific MCs. The specific performance of different formulations cannot be disclosed. On the basis of the results, the articles for journal publication will be prepared or some aspects of the tracing caplet can be patented prior to publication. Bi- and multinomial statistics to determine the number of tracers and the samples size on bins or rail cars appeared to be applicable for identifying the field grain origin at the specific point in the grain marketing system. The use of actual data on a configuration and system of the identifying point will improve the predictability of the statistics. Project results and information have been updated through a project website for the communication among associated users. U.S. Patent Application: System & Method for Tracing Agricultural Commodities, KSURF Disclosure 03-13, Filed March 22, 2005 PARTICIPANTS: Alex Thomasson, Michael Langemeier, Mark Schrock, Kyung Min Lee

Impacts
This work will assist in unambiguously visualizing the implementation of a food-grade tracing caplet for the application to grains and will further make a progress to the Reduction-to-Practice phase of the work.

Publications

  • Sui, R, Thomasson, A.J., and T. Herrman. 2007. Development of tracers for grain tracing system. ASAE Paper No. 076032.


Progress 01/01/06 to 01/01/07

Outputs
Two different shapes of tracing caplets, one with flat surface for printing and the other with slightly round surface, were developed. During the caplet delivering test on a combine for the period of the KS wheat harvest, the flat surface caplet created a bridging problem in the dispenser, requiring the development of the more rounded type tracing caplet. The tracing caplet properties, such as hardness, flowability, durability, and storability, are being tested by USDA-ARS in Manhattan, KS. The tracing caplet with particular properties will be further assessed in the commercial grain handling system. On the basis of the results, the articles for journal publication will be prepared or some aspects of the tracing caplet can be patented prior to publication. Bi- and multinomial statistics to determine the number of tracers and the samples size on bins or rail cars appeared to be applicable for identifying the field grain origin at the specific point in the grain marketing system. The use of actual data on a configuration and system of the identifying point will im prove the predictability of the statistics. Project results and information have been updated through a project website for the communication among associated users.

Impacts
This work will assist in unambiguously visualizing the implementation of a food-grade tracing caplet for the application to grains and will further make a progress to the "Reduction-to-Practice" phase of the work.

Publications

  • Hirai, Y., M.D. Schrock, D.L. Oard, and T.J. Herrman. 2005. A proof of concept delivery system for grain tracing caplets on a combine. ASAE Paper No. 056029.
  • Hirai, Y., M.D. Schrock, D.L. Oard, and T.J. Herrman. 2006. Delivery system of tracing caplets fro wheat grain traceability. Applied Engineering in Agriculture. 22(5):747-750.
  • Lee, K.M., and T.J. Herrman. 2006. Global Grain Tracing and Recall System: Sampling Strategy. Abstract No. P-327, Page 174 in: Program Book of The 91th AACC International Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA. September 17-20, 2006


Progress 01/01/05 to 12/31/05

Outputs
Progress to date on the development of a marker includes reformulating the tracing caplet and producing prototype marked tracers. The tracing software programmed by a subcontractor and completed by software engineers at Texas A&M University has been loaded on a server. A project website has been developed that includes a password protected intranet that enables access to the tracing program. Statistical analysis was performed to identify the 95% binomial confidence intervals for lower and upper probability (P) for estimating the ranges of tracers for various levels of sample size. Sample sizes required to identify 10 and 30 fields at a country elevator were computed using simultaneous confidence interval for multinomial distribution. These results will be used to estimate the cost for implementing a national grain tracing system. Proof-of-concept should be completed during the KS wheat harvest in 2006.

Impacts
This work represent "Proof-of-Concept" research and will likely not yield an immediate impact until we progress to the "Reduction-to-Practice" phase of the work.

Publications

  • Hirai, Y., M.D. Schrock, D.L. Oard, and T.J. Herrman. 2005. A proof of concept delivery system for grain tracing caplets on a combine. ASAE Paper No. 056029.