AMES, Iowa, Nov. 21 (UPI) -- R&D magazine has named an Iowa State University professor Inventor of the Year for his innovations in making a purer vodka and a better pig feed.
Hans van Leeuwen's vodka uses ozone and activated carbon to reduce unwanted substances in vodka.
"People want purity in their vodka," van Leeuwen said of the process called Mell03z.
The R&D award, which has been called the Oscars of Invention, in years past has been awarded to Larry Page, co-founder of Google and Elon Musk, a developer of PayPal and Tesla Motors.
"I suppose it would be nice if this develops into something that would help cushion my retirement a little bit," van Leeuwen, 63, told The Des Moines Register in a story published Saturday.
Van Leeuwen developed an alternative feed from the fungal remains of ethanol fermentation, which is rich in amino acids and a source of protein for pigs. His company, MycoInnovations, also wants to develop a cheap source of protein that would reduce malnutrition in developing countries.
