Ethanol Blog

The results of a University of Minnesota study that showed low antibiotic residues in distillers grains was recently published in the Journal of Animal Science, according to an article by Ethanol Producer (http://bit.ly/…).

The study was completed in 2012 and was conducted by six researchers from the University of Minnesota Department of Animal Sciences and Department of Food Science Nutrition, the University of Minnesota Extension Service and a contributor from SGS North America Inc. The study was funded by the Minnesota Corn Research and Promotion Council.

A total of 159 samples of distillers grains were collected, comprised of 80 samples of dry distillers grains and 79 samples of wet distillers grains. Most antibiotic residues were found in the dry distillers, with 21.3% of the samples containing residues.

The study found that antibiotic residues in distillers grains are rendered inactive during fermentation at ethanol plants due to low pH values of distillers grain, and high temperatures reached during fermentation, distillation and drying.

The researchers found that in the 12.6% of the samples containing low antibiotic levels, the residue were biologically inactive. Also, only one sample inhibited E. Coli growth. The researchers noted that even the samples with residues were at low concentrations well below current FDA-approved levels.

Cheryl Anderson can be reached at Cheryl.anderson@telventdtn.com.

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