Rice husks for biodegradable materials focus of free webinar March 18
March 5, 2026
By John Lovett
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Fast Facts
- Ali Ubeyitogullari presents ‘Transforming Worthless Rice Husks Into Valuable Materials’
- Webinar hosted by Arkansas Research Alliance
- Arkansas produces millions of tons of rice annually, significant rice husks byproduct
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Download PHOTO of Ali Ubeyitogullari
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — You may not be able to make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear, but you can make biodegradable materials out of rice husks, an abundant agricultural byproduct of rice milling.
Ali Ubeyitogullari, assistant professor of food engineering with the departments of food science and biological and agricultural engineering for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, will provide details on his team’s work on this topic in a webinar on March 18.
“Transforming Worthless Rice Husks Into Valuable Materials” will be offered online at 11 a.m. CDT Wednesday, March 18, by the Arkansas Research Alliance.
Registration is free and available online.
Arkansas leads the nation in rice production, growing nearly half of the U.S. crop with about 5.5 million tons of rice from about 1.4 million acres, according to the latest Arkansas Agricultural Profile. Although there are some industrial uses for husks, they can pose disposal and environmental challenges, Ubeyitogullari said.
During the webinar, Ubeyitogullari will share insights into how his team is turning the agricultural byproduct into biodegradable materials to help create new market opportunities for rice producers.
Ubeyitogullari directs the Food Engineering for Health Lab. His research focuses on food engineering and novel food processing technologies to enhance the health benefits and quality of foods. Specifically, he is interested in enhancing the bioavailability of micronutrients using nanoscale science and engineering based on supercritical carbon dioxide technology and 3D food printing.
To learn more about ag and food research in Arkansas, visit aaes.uada.edu. Follow the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station on LinkedIn and sign up for our monthly newsletter, the Arkansas Agricultural Research Report. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit uada.edu. To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on three system campuses.
Pursuant to 7 CFR § 15.3, the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services (including employment) without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, sexual preference, pregnancy or any other legally protected status, and is an equal opportunity institution.
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Media Contact:
John Lovett
Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station
(479) 763-5929
jlovett@uada.edu