Clifford Hall, associate professor of plant science, will supervise the pulse quality research program in the NDSU Department of Plant Sciences’ cereal food science group. He also coordinates the undergraduate food science program.

Hall will oversee research on pulse quality and utilization of pulses in food systems and conduct the annual U.S. Pulse Quality Survey.

The survey has been published since 2011 and features production statistics and quality parameters of dry pea, lentil and chickpea crops produced in Idaho, Montana, North Dakota and Washington. The U.S. Pulse Quality Survey is supported by the Northern Pulse Growers Association and USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council, as well as the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station.

To sell pulses at premium prices growers need to produce crops that meet food-and seed-grade quality requirements that include color, seed size and shape, splitting potential, hydration potential, cooking firmness and canning quality. Future U.S. Pulse Quality Surveys will focus on these factors in order to help growers produce premium crops and higher profitability potential.

“The demand for pulse crop foods is not going away,” Hall said. "Consumers increasingly are demanding gluten free foods and the nutritional qualities found in pulses.”

Hall has worked in the NDSU food science program since 1998. He teaches food chemistry, food analysis and sensory science of foods.

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