Analytical Session
Dale M Willard, Carbo Analytics, LLC, Fort Collins, CO, USA
ABSTRACT: Sugars are the fundamental intermediary in the
brewing process as barley is broken down into sugars before being
fermented into ethanol, and monitoring them throughout the process is
critical to flavor profile and process efficiency. If an on-line sugar
measurement solution was available, brewing facilities could make
production adjustments during the process to rapidly dial in batches to
within specifications, flag problem variations at an early stage, and
quickly pursue corrective actions. Our market research suggests an
average facility will save nearly US$1 million annually. Because we hold
the only demonstrated technology for combining capillary
electrophoresis and pulsed amperometric detection on a microchip format,
we can uniquely offer fast, simple, and reliable sugar analysis. A core
team of researchers have come together to form Carbo Analytics, LLC
(CARBO) with the sole mission of adding value to carbohydrate-based
commodities through reliable process monitors. Funded through a U.S.
Department of Agriculture Small Business Innovative Research Phase II
award (no. 2011-33610-31198), CARBO is currently transforming a
proof-of-concept prototype into demonstration units (breadboard and
production instruments) meeting end-user specifications and addressing
performance, reliability, longevity, and manufacturability. Instruments
will be field tested with three key industry leaders. On-line
instruments automatically sip, filter, and deliver samples to our
microchip for analysis. The instrument design calls for automated
analysis of a five sugar panel with a measurement time from sip to a
reported result in <15 min. Bench-top instruments, about the size of a
brief case, provide results in <2 min with minimal sample
pretreatment by the user.
Dale Willard is founder and president
of Carbo Analytics, LLC. He was formerly founder and principal
scientific investigator for Advanced MicroLabs, LLC. He received his
Ph.D. degree in analytical chemistry from Colorado State University and
B.S. degree in chemistry from the University of California, Davis. He
has served as principal investigator for 11 projects (3 SBIR Phase II
awards) and developed 2 commercial prototypes. He has 13 peer-reviewed
scientific papers to his credit, is an expert reviewer for several
scientific journals and NIH and NSF grant panels, and author of 12
funded scientific research proposals. He is a member of the American
Society of Brewing Chemists and the American Chemical Society.
VIEW PRESENTATION 102
