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This paper studies the dynamic interactions of the ethanol, crude oil and corn market prices in the United States from January 2005 up to December 2014. The empirical analysis, for the shake of robustness, employs alternative time series methodologies based on single equation and system estimation approaches to cointegration and more specifically, the autoregressive distributed lags and the Johansen ML cointegration methodologies were applied complementary. The findings reveal a statistically significant long-run causal effect running from crude oil and corn prices to ethanol price as well as from ethanol and corn prices to crude oil price. Additionally, a positive relationship between crude oil price and ethanol price was revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distillers corn oil (DCO) is a coproduct of bioethanol production. In the dry-grind ethanol process, DCO is extracted post-fermentation by the centrifugal separation of oil from the aqueous thin-stillage or whole stillage, and is a valuable coproduct currently used in animal production as a feed additive or as a feedstock for renewable biodiesel production. This study analyzes the variability in the fatty acid profiles and the content and composition of bioactive components in DCO from thirty bioethanol plants in the United States. The fatty acid profiles of the DCO samples were similar to commercial corn oil with an average of 56.0 % linoleic acid (C18:2), 27.6 % oleic (C18:1), 11.9 % palmitic (C16:0), 1.5 % stearic (C18:0), and 1.2 % linolenic (C18:3). There was low variability in fatty acid composition among the samples, with all major fatty acids having ≤ 3.5 % coefficient of variation (CV). Average total tocopherols were 1023 mg/kg comprised of gamma-, delta-, and alpha-tocopherols, with CV's ranging from 20.8 % to 57.8 %. The mean tocotrienol contents were 348 mg/kg, with CV's ranging from 18.8 % to 71.7 %. Mean carotenoid content was 239 mg/kg, comprised of lutein, zeaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, and alpha- and beta-carotenes, with CVs ranging from 19.7 % to 39.6 %. Mean total phytosterols were 19,360 mg/kg, while a class of phytosterols, ferulate phytosterol esters, were 4626 mg/kg. There was lower variation in phytosterol content, with CVs ranging from 9 % to 13 %. Methanol extracts from DCO contained 242 mg/kg gallic acid equivalents (GAE), with a 27.9 % CV. The antioxidant activity of methanol extracts, measured by diphenyl picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity, was 3.8 µmol/kg Trolox equivalents (CV = 19.9 %). The oils had an average oxidative stability index (OSI) at 110 °C of 11.8 h. The OSI values were significantly positively correlated with lutein, delta-tocopherol, and phytosterols including stigmasterol and campesterol. The results indicate that there was a higher amount of variation between plants in the content and composition of tocopherols, carotenoids, and total phenolics than for fatty acids composition and phytosterols. However, DCO from the dry grind ethanol process may be a sustainable feedstock for bioactive lipids for foods, dietary supplements, and industrial use. • Phytochemical variation in centrifugally extracted distillers corn oil is presented. • Variation was higher for tocopherols, tocotrienols, and carotenoids. • DCO is a rich source of phytosterols and ferulate phytosterol esters. • Oxidative stability was correlated with several lipophilic antioxidants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a life-cycle analysis of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of biodiesel (fatty acid methyl ester) and renewable diesel (RD, or hydroprocessed easters and fatty acids) production from oilseed crops, distillers corn oil, used cooking oil, and tallow. Updated data for biofuel production and waste fat rendering were collected through industry surveys. Life-cycle GHG emissions reductions for producing biodiesel and RD from soybean, canola, and carinata oils range from 40% to 69% after considering land-use change estimations, compared with petroleum diesel. Converting tallow, used cooking oil, and distillers corn oil to biodiesel and RD could achieve higher GHG reductions of 79% to 86% lower than petroleum diesel. The biodiesel route has lower GHG emissions for oilseed-based pathways than the RD route because transesterification is less energy-intensive than hydro-processing. In contrast, processing feedstocks with high free fatty acid such as tallow via the biodiesel route results in slightly higher GHG emissions than the RD route, mainly due to higher energy use for pretreatment. Besides land-use change and allocation methods, key factors driving biodiesel and RD life-cycle GHG emissions include fertilizer use and nitrous oxide emissions for crop farming, energy use for grease rendering, and energy and chemicals input for biofuel conversion.

Recently, total inward leakage (TIL) for filtering facepiece and elastomeric half-mask respirators (EHRs) was measured according to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) test method standard 16900-1:2014 that showed larger TIL for corn oil aerosol than for NaCl aerosol. Comparison of TIL measured for different aerosols for higher protection level respirators is lacking. The objective of this study was to determine TIL for EHRs, full-facepiece respirators, and loose-fitting and tight-fitting powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs) using NaCl and corn oil aerosols to compare. TIL was measured for two models each of EHRs, full-facepiece respirators, and loose-fitting and tight-fitting PAPRs. After fit testing with a PortaCount (TSI, St. Paul, MN) using the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) protocol, eight subjects were tested in the NaCl aerosol chamber first and then in the corn oil aerosol chamber, while another eight subjects tested in the reverse order. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of the two groups. TIL was measured as a ratio of mass-based aerosol concentrations inside the mask to the test chamber while the subjects performed ISO 16900-1-defined exercises using continuous sampling methods. The concentration of corn oil aerosol was measured with one light scattering photometer, alternately, and NaCl aerosol was measured using two flame photometers. Results showed the geometric mean TIL for EHR was significantly ( p  < 0.05) larger for corn oil aerosol than for NaCl aerosol. EHR models equipped with P100 filters showed relatively smaller TIL values than the same models with N95 filters showing that TIL was inversely related to filter efficiency. Interestingly, TIL was significantly ( p  < 0.05) larger for NaCl aerosol than for corn oil aerosol for PAPRs, but not for full-facepiece respirators. TIL was inversely related to fit factors of respirator types. Overall, filter efficiency and faceseal leakage determine TIL. The relative trends in TIL for the two aerosols' test methods differ between respirator types indicating that generalization of TIL for respirator types may not be appropriate when using different test agents.

Oxidation can have negative effects on fat quality and animal performance. Nutrients most susceptible to oxidation are fats, fat soluble vitamins, carotenoids. A series of experimental trials were run to evaluate the stability of fats from soybean oil (SO), menhaden fish oil (FO), yellow-grease (YG), a blend of corn oil, yellow grease, and fish oil (BO), and wet distiller grains (WDG) in the presence and absence of AGRADO antioxidant (A). Fats were oxidized in the presence or absence of A by bubbling air through the fat at elevated temperatures and a given time period. Peroxide values, fatty acid profiles, Active Oxygen Method (AOM) and Oil Stability Index (OSI) were used to asses the quality and stability of the fats. All fats tested were readily oxidized under artificial oxidative stress, but were stabilized in the presence of A as indicated by the reduction in the AOM values of 191.5, 346, 288, and 191 meq of peroxides from control for SO, YG, BO, and WDG, respectively (P =0.05). In the presence of A, the OSI values were improved by 7, 14.5, 6, 4.9, and 43 h compared to control for SO, FO, YG, BO, WDG, respectively (P = 0.05). The concentration of linoleic, linolenic in SO, YG, WDG and concentration of EPA and DHA in FO and BO were reduced during artificial oxidation but preserved in the presence of A. Across all sources of fats evaluated in the study, addition of A significantly improved the stability and quality of the fat as reflected by the AOM and OSI values and preservation of essential fatty acids. AGRADO is a trademark of Novus International, Inc. and is registered in the United States and other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A microscopic review of pancreata from corn oil vehicle control and untreated control F344/N male rats in thirty-seven 2-year carcinogenesis studies was conducted to determine the extent and strength of the association of proliferative exocrine pancreatic lesions with corn oil gavage. The incidence of focal basophilic cellular change was similar in both untreated and vehicle control groups and was unrelated to corn oil gavage. The overall incidences of focal acinar hyperplasia and acinar adenoma were about five times greater in male rats that received the corn oil than in untreated rats (12.6 and 4.9% vs. 2.6 and 0.9%). This association was not consistent for each study group of vehicle controls. Over one-third (7/20) of the vehicle control groups had incidences of hyperplasia and adenoma no greater than the average rate for untreated male rats. There was no relationship between incidences of proliferative acinar lesions and the animal laboratory, the animal source, and the brand, lot, or peroxide level of the corn oil. The incidences of focal acinar hyperplasia and acinar adenoma were related to maximum mean body weights attained by the groups during the course of the study.