member benefits
- Opportunities for member companies to conduct short- or long-term research at the Whistler Center
- Get involved in Whistler Center-funded pre-competitive projects as an advisory member
- Unlimited attendance to the Annual Short Course and Webinars
- Opportunity to send industrial researchers to the center for collaborative research
- Problem-solving meetings with Whistler Center faculty under confidentiality agreements
- Annual Board meeting and Technical Conference in the Spring
- Discuss scientific posters with students and scientists at our Board Meeting
- Research Focus meeting in the Fall
- Analytical services at a reduced cost
- Annual faculty visits to member companies
- Pre-clinical and clinical studies
what we do
The Whistler Center for Carbohydrate Research at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, USA works in partnership with companies to develop improved uses of carbohydrates, particularly in areas of:
- Food functional uses of non-starch polysaccharides, oligosaccharides, sugars, and starches (through structure-function studies leading to novel applications, and through chemical or structural modification)
- Carbohydrates and health [structure-function relationships relating to starch digestion characteristics (glycemic response), fiber functionality and colonic benefit, and physiological response through clinical/nutritional studies]
- Non-food uses (such as for biopolymer substitution, animal feed nutrition, and biofuels)
- Carbohydrate structural analysis
The Center provides unique, essential, industrially relevant research, analytical services, and educational programs.
The Center provides leadership to carbohydrate-producing and -utilizing industries through:
- Design and delivery of solutions to problems
- Extension of fundamental knowledge on carbohydrate structure-function relationships, including application to human health, targeted for new technology development
- Education through short courses, webinars, and conferences, free to participating companies, which stresses the application of knowledge of fundamental properties and behaviors to the solution of practical problems.
WHO WE ARE
- 16 Faculty Members
- 54 Graduate Students
- 37 Scientists
- Center Coordinator
- 12 Chemistry laboratories for structure and mechanics of carbohydrates
- 4 Laboratories specializing in gut microbiota and microbial bioengineering
- Dedicated space in pilot plants across 3 separate universities
Education
- Annual Short Course, October, 17 lectures over 2.5 days
- Webinars, 6 offered per year
- Annual Belfort Endowed Lecture and Technical Conference held in May
Analytical Services
- Carbohydrate composition
- Molecular size
- Linkage and anomeric
- Rheology
- Calorimetry
research focus
- Components for healthy processed foods
- Designed carbohydrate ingredients, sugar reduction/replacement, novel health-related ingredients
- Innovations in processed food quality
- Texture, quality, novel monitoring techniques
- Sustainability and clean-label
- By-product streams, biobased plastics, plant-based forward foods, edible coatings and packaging
- Healthy outcomes
- Microbiome, gut health, brain function, weight control, metabolic health, sex differences
- Leverage knowledge from over $15 million in competitive grant funding for Whistler Center research within the last 8 years
- Over 50 faculty-led research projects in 2024 as summarized in our annual report
Membership
- $40,000 per year
contact us
Have additional questions? Contact the Whistler Center
become a member today!
Our center works in partnership with companies that have a Whistler Center membership. Join our center and access industry-relevant research, services, and programs on carbohydrates.
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