An Underutilized Resource

Unlike most crops that store carbon as starch, a polymer of glucose, in the Jerusalem artichoke carbon is stored as inulin, a fructose polymer. The implications of this have a pronounced influence on the value and utility of the crop. An extremely important attribute derived from inulin is its nutritional contributions, even though the caloric value in humans is low. The evidence for the role of inulin in decreasing blood cholesterol and in enhancing other positive health benefits has been firmly established. 

As a crop plant, the Jerusalem artichoke has languished behind most traditional crop species. Its production worldwide is not considered sufficient to be monitored by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in its annual production statistics of agricultural crops. Lack of production in the past is in part due to the fact that uses for the crop could be readily fulfilled by other species. As indicated, however, periodic surges in production have been common. For example, during, and for a period after, the Second World War production of Jerusalem artichoke increased in Europe, 

Biology and Chemistry of Jerusalem Artichoke Helianthus tuberosus L. 

Average Yield in Fresh Weight and Calories for Jerusalem Artichoke and the 10 Leading Crops 

Jersualem artichoke is native to North America, and Native Americans were the first to cultivate it — many years before the arrival of European explorers. The plant s two most frequently used common names, Jerusalem artichoke and topinambour, arose shortly after the crop s introduction into Europe in 1607 both are botanically inappropriate. H. tuberosus neither is related to the artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) nor has any connection with the town of Jerusalem the latter derives from the Topinamboux, a South American tribe whose members first visited France in 1613 (Salaman, 1940). Sunchoke has been proposed as a more appropriate common name, but it has not been widely adopted. The nomenclature, origin, and history of H. tuberosus are the subject of Chapter 2. 

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Natural gas is an underutilized resource worldwide relative to oil but will play an increased role in the twenty-first century. New technologies such as gas-to-liquids and large-scale liquefied natural gas projects will also dramatically alter the fossil fuel landscape. 

Tett SE, Holford NHG, McLachlan AJ. Population pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. An underutilized resource. Drug Inf J 1998 32 693-710. 

A unique plant on many levels, the distinctive properties of the Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) present novel answers to some of today s most pressing problems. Jerusalem artichoke is potentially a major source of inulin, a fructose polymer that provides dietary health benefits as a prebiotic that promotes intestinal health and as a low-calorie carbohydrate to combat obesity and diabetes. Inulin also has myriad industrial applications, including ethanol production — making Jerusalem artichoke a potential source of biofuel. With its ready cultivation and minimal pest and disease problems, Jerusalem artichoke is an underutilized resource that possesses the potential to meet major health and energy challenges. 

Tett, S., Holford, N.H.G., and McLachlan, A.J. Population pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics An underutilized resource. Drug Information Journal 1998 32 693— 710. 

Chitosan is called the last biomass of the twentieth century, and is a material that waits further development as an extraordinary biomaterial in the twenty-first century. Chitin and chitosan, derived from shellfish waste, continue to be underutilized resources. We believe that to further their development as a resource, that there are needs for products of intermediate value easy to produce and which capitalize upon the unique features of chitin and chitosan. Fibers and films based on chitin or chitosan have considerable promise for medical textile applications. The commercialization of chitosan-based hemostatic bandages, such as Hemcon , represents a significant accomplishment in gaining the acceptance of chitosan as a biomaterial. 

Ifthe process requires more than one person to maintain takt time, you can apply workload balancing to create an even distribution of work across the resources so that none are overburdened or underutilized. For more information about workload balancing, see The Toyota Way Fieldbook, by J. Liker and D. Meier, New York McGraw-Hill, 2005. 

Lignin (qv) is an abimdant renewable natural resource it accounts for over 20% of all organic matter and is second in abimdance only to cellulose. Approximately 46 million metric tons are isolated in the United States each year as a by-product of wood pulp processing. Its underutilization has often been described. 

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