After substantial research and development and favorable results in the initial field testing phase in the U.S., NutraCea will be constructing a full-scale, proof-of-concept wheat bran stabilization facility to validate the technology and promote its widespread use to convert wheat bran into a food ingredient. The Company believes that significant amounts of stabilized wheat bran can be blended into the flour produced by the mill. In addition, stabilized wheat bran will be sold as a stand alone ingredient.
"The economic benefit to wheat millers of the blended product is especially appealing at a time when grain prices are at all-time highs. For example, if a wheat miller blended 5% wheat bran into wheat flour, which is approximately one fifth of the amount of bran produced by a mill, profits would double based on today's pricing," said Leo Gingras, chief operating officer of NutraCea.