Cereal Science and Technology in Todays Academic and

Cereal Science and Technology in Today’s Academic and Industrial Environments: Case of the KU Leuven Laboratory of Food Chemistry Professor Jan A. Delcour and colleagues, K. U. Leuven, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium

Overview n Importance of the Cereal Sector n The Laboratory of Food Chemistry n Patenting Contributes to the Mission

Importance of the Cereal Sector n Cereals for feed and food n Wheat, rice, barley, oats, rye n Bread, pasta, beer, biscuits, cakes n Wheat processing (sugar syrups)

Major Industrial Players/Partners n Recent Past Puratos n Amylum Danisco-Cultor Procter & Gamble Remy Current Cargill Master Foods Meneba Sedamyl Cerealia Vamix

Mission Lab of Food Chemistry To fulfill a role in society by n 1/ generating and communicating basic insights into the starch, nonstarch polysaccharide, and storage and physiologically active protein constituents of cereals n 2/ applying and valorizing such insights with the aim to understand improve processing and/or final product quality in biotechnological processes where cereals are used

Research Activities

Funding Sources and Staff n 1/ Public funds: staff: 20 Basic component - Backbone: University : 5 positions - Competitive research positions: University: 4; National/regional agencies: 9; EU: 2 n 2/ Industry funds: staff: 20 Applied/valorization component

Major Fund Sources 2001 n Government, EU and University n n KUL staff: 5 Competitive research positions: 15 Bench fees: ca EURO 270, 000 n Industry n Positions: 21 n Total budget ca EURO 2, 350, 000 n bench fees: ca EURO 330, 000

Laboratory of Food Chemistry n Permanent Staff Dr J Delcour Temporary Post doctoral Staff n Dr C Courtin Dr W Debyser n ir K Brijs lic K Fierens ir H Goesaert ir K Moers ir R Vermeylen Dr W Veraverbeke Research Assistants - Ph. D Students ir F Delvaux ir S Frederix ir W Gys ir I Trogh n Dr A-M Loosveld ir G Depaepe ir K Gebruers ir J Ingelbrecht ir G Vandeputte ir V Derycke ir G Gelders ir C Maes ir I Verbruggen Administrative and Technical Staff K Bosmans C Jordens B Vangeneugden K Mélotte L Van Den Ende H Van Den Broeck

Microbial Malting Technology Permanent Staff n Dr J Delcour n Dr C Michiels Project Leaders ir I Noots (ing R. Delrue) n ing K De Bie ir C Garcia lic I Vanderhoeven ir T Verwimp lic M Vandeynse ir S Vynck n K Cornelis Research Assistants Administrative and Technical Staff S Fondeck C Jordens L Schuyten

Laboratory Facilities & Expertise n n n n n Laboratory Facilities * Micro Malting Units (1 - 10 kg) * Milling Units (1 -25 kg) * Bread Making Unit (10 - 100 g) * Extruder (1 - 5 kg) * Differential Scanning Calorimeters * Rapid Visco Analyzer * Brabender (High Pressure) Viscographs * Bruker NMR * Kofler Hot Stage * Brabender Farinograph * Stable Microsystems TA-TX 2 * Mixograph * Phast systems * FPLC/Akta Systems * HPLC System * HPAEC System * Gas Chromatography Systems

Laboratory Facilities & Expertise n n n n n Expertise * Protein Isolation and Purification * 1 -D Gel Electrophoresis and iso-Electric Focussing of Proteins * Dough Rheology * Physico-chemical Properties of Starch * Viscosimetry * Nonstarch Polysaccharide Structures and Composition * Cereal Processing * Chemical Analysis of Foods * Patenting

Challenge To create an environment where – both the basic and applied component are well developped – an efficient transfer of technology is brought into practice – a good team spirit is present

Classic Technology Transfer Cycle Research project Public funding Private funding Published results Unpublished results University benefit Industry benefit

Win-Win Transfer Cycle Research project Public funding Intellectual property Published results Incentives Private funding Royalty streams Win - win: joint university - industry benefit

Experience with Patents. . . n n J. A. Delcour, R. C. Hoseney, Rye Extract Breadmaking Additives …. , US 5, 658, 606. G. Cleemput, J. A. Delcour, M. Hessing, Wheat NSP Hydrolysing Enzymes, WO 9709423. T. Coppens, J. A. Delcour, D. Iserentant, Process for the Production of Malt, EP 0918844, WO 9849278. W. Debyser, J. A. Delcour, Inhibitors of Xylanolytic and Glucanolytic Enzymes, WO 9849278, EP 0996709.

The TAXI Case… – Triticum aestivum Xylanase Inhibitors - Introduction - Initial evidence, further work - Conclusions - Patenting and literature - Negotiation of transfer

TAXI: Arabinoxylan structure non starch cereal cell wall polysaccharides n hydrolysed by endoxylanases n H D-xylopyranosyl H H residues L-arabinofuranosyl residues Ferulic acid residues

TAXI: Initial Evidence 1. Arabinoxylan solubilisation during brewing – Pilsner type beers (100% barley malt) – Belgian wheat beers (60% barley malt, 40% unmalted wheat) 2. Inhibition of barley malt xylanolytic enzymes by wheat extracts

TAXI: Further Work 1. Protein purification and characterisation 2. Determination of inhibition patterns

TAXI: Conclusions n TAXI : – molecular weight 40, 000 – p. I 8. 8 – two molecular forms – does not inhibit all endoxylanases – impact on breadmaking

A B C D A. Control (50. 2 1. 5 cc) B. Control + TAXI (46. 3 1. 0 cc) C. Control + A. niger Xylanase (60. 0 1. 7 cc) D. Control + TAXI + A. niger Xylanase (50. 8 1. 2 cc)

TAXI: Conclusions n Importance in cereal processing – malting & brewing – breadmaking n Function ? – Endogenous endoxylanases Ù germination – Exogenous endoxylanases Ù plant defence

TAXI: Patenting and Literature Debyser, W. , Delcour, J. A. , WO 98/49278, filed 1997: concept and structure of xylanase inhibitors (TAXI type) Hessing, M. , Happe, R. P. , EP 0979830, filed 1998: structure of a non-TAXI endo-xylanase inhibitor Debyser, W. , Delcour, J. A. , WO 98/49278, filed 1997, published 1998 Sibbesen, O. , Soerensen, J. F. , WO 00/39289, filed 1998: structure of TAXI inhibitor Hessing, M. , Happe, R. P. , EP 0979830, filed 1998, published 2000

TAXI: Patents - Debyser, W. , Delcour, J. A. , Gebruers, K. , Goesaert, H. , European patent, filed 2000 : structure of TAXI and HVXI inhibitors - Sibbesen, O. , Soerensen, J. F. , WO 00/39289, filed 1998, published 2000

To patent or not to patent… n Difficulties encountered in patenting – – Different language Expensive Time consuming effort Not sufficiently appreciated internally

To patent or not to patent… n Negotiation of transfer – – – Difficult to find partners Tough negotiations Difficult to correctly estimate the value (lump sum, research funds, royalty rates)

To patent or not to patent… n The bright side… – – – Rewarding intellectually Way to increase research funds Brings a research group into the picture as an interesting partner for collaboration – Allows to move towards win-win cycles of transfer of technology