How a kernel of innovation can shape the future of food

 

 

By Florian Schattenmann

Cargill chief technology officer and vice president of research and development (R&D) and innovation

 

 

Every day, I have the amazing job of finding new and better ways to nourish the world. From the food we eat and the meals we give our pets to the fuel we use to get around and the materials we use, every product or process can be improved when examined from an innovative mindset.

For example, consider a single kernel of corn. Something that might seem so small and so simple is actually overflowing with potential for innovation. In fact, you’re probably using corn in many — known and unknown — parts of your everyday life.

Let’s break down all the ways innovation shows up in how we grow, use and re-imagine corn all over the world. I hope you’re surprised or inspired at some point along the way!

 

Starting with sustainability

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From the moment a single corn kernel enters our supply chain, Cargill is driving new, more sustainable approaches to agriculture. That process begins with farmers, the foundation of our food system.

We support farmer adoption of regenerative agriculture practices, such as the use of cover crops, through programs like Cargill RegenConnect®. Through this program, farmers are paid for positive environment outcomes generated from the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices. Some of these outcomes can include things like reduced greenhouse gas emissions, improved water quality and use, and improved healthy soil for the next generation.

 

The science behind the seed

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Cargill’s Crop Innovation Center   explores the intersection between agronomics and innovation. Using controlled environment growth facilities and cutting-edge genetics, molecular biology, and genomic and bioinformatic techniques, we develop solutions that meet our customers’ needs and exceed their imaginations. For instance, how do we adapt the functional characteristics of corn for better performance across a range of applications? From heat acclimation to better end-product shelf life, we know the opportunities for the future are at our fingertips. 

 

Let’s break it down

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Once a farmer has harvested the crop, corn makes its way to a Cargill processing facility, where we break it down into its component parts so we can use it to its fullest potential. A single facility can process as many as 350,000 bushels of corn in a day. That’s enough to fill over six Olympic swimming pools, and enough to feed over 40,000 people for a year.

To me, this is where the most exciting work truly begins. We’re constantly pushing ourselves to use corn more sustainably and efficiently in as many ways as we can. Think about the last time you drove to the gym. The gasoline that powered your car, what you wore on the treadmill, the sports drink you sipped between workouts, and the snack you ate afterwards — all these things were driven by Cargill’s innovations, stemming from … yup … corn!

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Corn feeds the world

Let’s start with the obvious — food. Corn is the most prominent feed grain in the world, accounting for 80% of the global grain trade. Just last year, nearly 46 billion bushels of corn were produced worldwide.

While Cargill uses corn to create well-recognized ingredients for home chefs, foodservice restaurants and food manufacturers alike, we also convert cornstarch into a wide range of useful products that are the not-so-secret backbone of most things you eat. Sweeteners, thickening agents, texturizers — all these ingredients are derived from those tiny kernels of corn. This just scratches the surface of the applications we’re discovering to strengthen the global food system.

 

Corn + chemistry = possibilities

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Let’s take the process of fermentation — where we use chemistry to break down the “building blocks” of food and unlock new possibilities. Just like fermented grapes become wine, our teams continue to find ways that corn can be used to create something new. By fermenting cornstarch, we produce citric acid, which can be an essential ingredient in everything from soup stock cubes to sports drinks.

There are other applications Cargill has developed that you may be less likely to encounter every day as well, from new pharmaceuticals to fertilizers to preservatives. In this way, Cargill’s breakthroughs catalyze breakthroughs for others, too!

 

Nutritious and sustainable animal feed? You’ve got it!

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Recently, we’ve uncovered surprising new ways to add value for our customers, including corn-based feed that can actually reduce cattle’s methane emissions. This is a huge step toward making agriculture as a whole more sustainable. The U.N. estimates that livestock produce over 11% of global greenhouse gas emissions — by reducing emissions from the moment farmers feed their animals, we’re making major progress toward our sustainability goals as a company and as a planet.

We’ve also developed Galleon, a digital platform that analyzes the microbiome — and overall health — of poultry flocks relative to their diets. Through these innovative ways, corn is laying a foundation for our entire protein market.

 

Fueling the future

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Ethanol, a crucial component in the fuel that moves food and many other vital goods around the world more sustainably, also comes from corn. Today, our team at Cargill is experimenting with new combinations and concentrations of yeasts and enzymes that will make our ethanol production as sustainable as possible. We’re also exploring biofuels developed from the byproducts of our agricultural production, including corn. Innovation like this is essential to support a meaningful and sustainable energy transition around the world.

 

But wait — there’s corn in yoga pants?

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Additionally, Cargill has invested in joint ventures to produce materials from corn that turn up in everyday places you might not expect.  One of these joint ventures is NatureWorks, which produces a biodegradable polymer called polylactic acid (PLA). Manufacturers can use Ingeo™️ PLA to make all kinds of products — from food packaging to diapers — more eco-friendly. 

Another joint venture, Qore, will produce a key component in spandex fabric called butanediol when the manufacturing plant starts up in the near future. In other words, your yoga pants may soon come from Cargill corn, too!

What I love most about innovation at Cargill  is that it always keeps moving forward! For all the exciting breakthroughs we’ve made from a single kernel of corn, teams across Cargill are constantly looking for the next one to transform the whole global food system. The pursuit of that impact is what inspires me at work each day. I hope this sneak peek into a small piece of our work inspires you, too!

 

About the author

Florian Schattenmann is Cargill’s chief technology officer and vice president for innovation and research & development, leading a global team focused on creating value across agriculture, food, animal feed, and bioindustrial markets. He also heads the Strategic Growth Business Accelerator, emphasizing innovation in areas like alternative protein. Florian holds a Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

 

 

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