Exciting Moment for the Oat Innovation Laboratory Unveil

On sep. 9^th, the Oat Innovation Laboratory was founded in the College of Food Science and Engineering in Northwest A&F University. In front of the experiment building of the college, Hou Xi, vice president of Northwest A&F University, and Xiong Dingguo, vice secretary-general of the China Foundation for Desertification Control, were invited to unveil for the lab. More than 30 honored guests from China and abroad witnessed that important moment. After the unveiling ceremony, the guests tasted the oat dishes which were provided by the staff and graduates of the Oat Innovational lab. And all the guests praised good comments on the oat foods.

This laboratory was based on the project “High quality oats cultivation and processing” which is one of the key projects of China Ministry of Agriculture and undertaken by the College of Food Science and Engineering. The purpose of the laboratory was to make good use of the human resource about minor grain crops of the college, and promote cooperation and communication with experts home and abroad, and improve the researches on minor grain crops at the following aspects: functional characteristics, nutritional health care, product development and fine processing et al.

Because of the close relationship concerning oat development, oat industrialization, and application for the oat scientific projects, the Oat Innovation Laboratory was founded at the same time with another three laboratories: the Oat Utilization Lab of China-Canada Sci-Innovation Center on Arid Area Agriculture, the Oat Food R&D Laboratory of China Foundation for Desertification Control, the Oat Food R&D Lab of Shanghai Jiamai Agricultural technological Ltd.

The guests were served with several of oat dishes including Oat Fried Rice, Oat Rourou, Oat Kuilei, Oat Soybean Milk, Oat Wowo, Oat Biscuit, Oat Bread, Oat Pancake, Oat Tea, and Oat Liquor. And they also were informed the nutritious functions and properties of oat foods. They all showed great interests on the processing methods, cooking methods and research and development of oat foods.

Richard, the CEO of Swedish Oatly Company and Professor of Lund University, said “good” in Chinese for many times to praise the oat feast. He said the flavor of oat food here was similar to European’s and expected a continuing development and international cooperation of oat foods.

“Oat plays vital roles in health care, desertification control, staple food substitution”, said Hou Xi, vice president of Northwest A&F University. He also said: “The foundation of the lab is a positive attempt at food research and development, and a symbol that our university is good at making use of science research resources to develop cooperation with international institutions and enterprises”. The president highly regarded the lab’s unveiling ceremony which he described as “simple and natural” and he also praised the oat feast as “impressive and with public significance”.

Mr. Wu Feng, the vice director of Department the Science and Technology Expansion, Northwest A&F University, said “The lab made a strong tie between the scientific institution and enterprise, and the problems found in the food processing in the company can be brought into the lab to study. The lab is the result of the close cooperation among production, study, and research.”

Fang Yi, Chief Manager of Shanghai Jiamai Agricultural Technology Service Ltd. Said the foundation of the laboratory met the need of quick development of oat industry, and it accorded with Chinese eating habit of oats. He explained it could benefit both the enterprises and colleges.

At present, there are 7 scientific researchers, 18 postgraduates and 3 innovational teams worked for in the laboratory. The scientist who takes the charge of the lab is Dr.Hu Xinzhong who has engaged in cereal science research for decades and achieved plentiful fruits in his research field.  As a scientist who is finical supported by “young teacher with scientific potential” issued by Northwest A&F University, Dr. Hu established the web site concerning oat research and are optimistic and confidential about the future of oat research.

 
Hou Xi, VP of Northwest A&F University, Xiong Dingguo, vice secretary-general of the CFDC unveiled for the lab.

 
More than 30 guests home and aboard witnessed the foundation of the laboratory

 
Guests enjoyed oat foods