Analyzers Assess Ethanol Yield of Corn

ST. LOUIS - Jun 27/07 - SNS -- DuPont's Pioneer Hi-Bred and FOSS North America have entered an agreement to calibrate grain analyzers so they can more accurately estimate the ethanol yield of corn.

"This technology is a big step in helping increase ethanol output per acre," said Dean Oestreich, vice president and general manager of DuPont and president of Pioneer. "When used in FOSS instruments, it gives farmers and ethanol producers nearly instant ethanol yield results on each load of grain brought to an ethanol plant."

The technology allows ethanol producers to use real-time data to manage the grain feeding their ethanol production process. Farmers will be able to take this information and combine it with their on-farm agronomic performance data to tailor the corn hybrids they plant to maximize their ethanol yield on every acre.

Pioneer has already evaluated all of its hybrids for ethanol yields and has identified over 180 hybrids that produce higher than average amounts of ethanol. These high total fermentable (HTF) ethanol hybrids are being positioned with farmers near ethanol plants.

FOSS will be installing the Pioneer Ethanol Yield Potential calibration into its Infratec 1241 Grain Analyzers and marketing them to dry-grind ethanol plants in North America.

"When installed on our instruments, this calibration technology will allow ethanol producers to work with farmers to increase the amount of ethanol they produce," said Christian Svensgaard, President of FOSS North America. "This is truly exciting technology that will help make the most of every bushel of corn harvested."

DuPont is a leader in the biofuels industry and has developed a three-part strategy to increase grain ethanol yield per acre; develop technology to convert cellulose to biofuels; and develop and supply next-generation, improved biofuels.

As the industry leader in NIR/NIT technology, FOSS provides and supports dedicated analytical solutions for the food and agricultural industries. From raw material to finished product, FOSS instrumentation provides precision and control at any stage of the production process including on-line, at-line and bench analysis.

Today over 80 percent of the world's grain is tested on a FOSS solution. The FOSS Infratec 1241 is officially approved and established worldwide as a standard for determining protein, moisture, oil, starch and other parameters essential to optimum ethanol yield.

FOSS is the world's leading provider of analytical instruments for the food, agricultural, chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Founded in 1956, FOSS is a privately owned company employing over 1,100 worldwide with manufacturing and research and development facilities in Denmark, Sweden and the United States. Solutions are sold and supported in over 100 countries, with 21 fully owned subsidiaries and 75 dedicated distributors.