USDA released a new report detailing discoveries by USDA researchers that have led to new patents and inventions with the potential for commercial applications. The innovations highlighted in this year’s report include allergen-free solutions for peanut and wheat allergy sufferers as well as a process for faster egg pasteurization.
"USDA has a proven track record of performing research that has tangible benefits for the American public, and studies have found every dollar invested in agricultural research returns $20 to our economy," said USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack. "USDA is now accelerating the commercialization of federal research, and government researchers are working closely with the private sector to develop new technology and transfer it to the marketplace."
USDA received 83 patents in Fiscal Year 2014, up from 51 patents in 2013. USDA filed 119 patent applications and disclosed another 117 new inventions, which may lead to future patents and are detailed in the Department's 2014 Annual Report on Technology Transfer released this week.
Highlighted discoveries from USDA's 2014 Technology Transfer Report include:
-Procedures to remove up to 98-percent of the allergens from peanuts without affecting the flavor;
-A new process for pasteurizing shelled eggs using radio frequency energy that is 1.5 times faster than the current pasteurization process;
-A portable method for identifying harmful bacteria in food that could improve the response to foodborne illness outbreaks.
