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Professor Rui Hai Liu has been named the 2016 General Mills Bell Institute of Health and Nutrition Innovation Award winner for his contributions to cereal grain and grain component research.

A Cornell scientist studying the intersection of food and health has been recognized by the American Society for Nutrition (ASN) for his work exploring the benefits of whole grains.

Dr. Rui Hai Liu, professor in the Department of Food Science, has been named the 2016 General Mills Bell Institute of Health and Nutrition Innovation Award winner for his contributions to cereal grain and grain component research. He is set to receive the award April 3 in San Diego.

Research by Liu over the past two decades has ushered in a more complete understanding of the role whole grains play in human health. In 2002, he developed a novel method to determine the complete phenolic profile of food grains. He found the antioxidant contents of wheat had been underestimated by nearly 90 percent and similarly undervalued in corn, rice and oats.

“Wisdom had it at that the bulk of antioxidants were consumed from fruits and vegetables in the diet. No one thought to eat grains for antioxidant benefits until then,” said Liu.

Further research by Liu revealed the greatest health benefits are found in the bran and germ fraction that is discarded in the refining process. That discovery ushered in a fresh understanding of the health benefits of consuming whole grains compared to refined flour. In a third major contribution, his research revealed the major portion of grain phytochemicals are present in a bound form that passes undigested through the stomach and small intestine. It’s not until the food reaches the colon that the most beneficial components are broken down through fermentation, providing site-specific health benefits that may help ward off cancers of the colon and other chronic diseases.

“No one has contributed more than Rui Hai in revealing the linkage between the consumption of bioactive components in whole foods and their role in promoting human health and preventing disease,” said Patrick Stover, ASN president and director of the Division of Nutritional Sciences at Cornell. “His research is critical in efforts to connect agriculture and food systems with human health.”

At his lab in the Department of Food Science, Liu explores functional foods and food chemistry and how they relate to chronic disease risks. He investigates the connection among diet, bioactive compounds and cancer. His research includes how whole food synergy and bioactive compounds in fruits and vegetables function in the prevention of chronic diseases.

Liu says his research demonstrates the importance of combining aspects of food science, nutrition and health.

Liu received his Ph.D. in toxicology from Cornell in 1993 and holds an M.D. and an M.S. in nutrition and food toxicology from Harbin Medical University. His multidisciplinary training in medicine, food science, toxicology and nutrition has shaped his research, which integrates medical and nutritional work with analytical and food chemistry research.

Thomson Reuters recognized Liu as one of the world’s most influential scientific minds for 2014 and 2015, and named him as a highly cited researcher. He has published more than 145 scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals and accrued over 11,100 citations. Essential Science Indicators ranked him as one of the top five scientists in the field of agricultural sciences, including nutrition and food science. In 2011, he received the Institute of Food Technologists’ Babcock-Hart Award for outstanding contributions to the field of food science in the improvement of public health through nutrition.

Matt Hayes is managing editor and social media officer for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.