Innovation: Dr. Padu Krishnan

Padu Krishnan is a cereals chemist in the Department of Dairy and Food Science at South Dakota State University. General Mills and Grain Millers provided $140,000 to develop a near-infrared spectrometer (NIRS) calibration to qualify beta-glucan content in oat samples. NIRS uses reflected energy to quantify beta-glucan levels in a sample of ground oats, much like a creating a fingerprint. It’s the level of beta-glucan content in oats is what gives a heart healthy label.