Humble Beginnings Fuel Curiosity
As a boy, George Inglett’s family moved from mining town to mining town in Southern Illinois as his father chased work as a coal miner to feed the family.
Young George explored the areas around the mines to see the way nature interacted with the mines — the slag, what was going into the mines such as the calcium carbide as the well as the various plants and animals which were in the area. Young George also explored his grandfather’s farm seeing how animals interacted with plant life.
“I would also spend the summers with my grandfather going around the farm,” Dr. Inglett said. “I could see the corn growing, the soybeans, the potatoes. He had a complete farm with chickens, horses, cows and pigs. All of these things were very exciting and interesting things to a young boy.”
Dr. Inglett said the farm was more than just a learning experience for him. During the Great Depression, he said, his family would not have survived if not for the help his grandparents gave with produce grown on the farm.
“My grandparents were able to provide food for our family, when the mines were closed,” Dr. Inglett said.
A SCIENTIST EARLY ON
George was affected by the death of one of his friends from food poisoning during the depression. This sparked his desire to see a safer and healthier food supply. Dr. Inglett’s interest in food production and how things worked grew even further during his high school years. He said the teacher of the class found out that Dr. Inglett had an affinity for science and allowed him to be the class assistant.
“Every year in high school I had complete access to the lab,” Dr. Inglett said. “It was also at the completion of World War II and there was access to a lot of surplus materials, so I started my own laboratory.”
Started Inglett Research Laboratories in High School
Dr. Inglett made a big sign and put it on a telephone pole in front of his house. He called his new venture “Inglett Research Laboratories.” He said his first products were mainly cosmetics.
“I had labels printed,” Dr. Inglett said, laughing at the thought. “I made cold creams and some other creams and put them into bottles and found a few drug stores that would put it on the shelf. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a big seller, the bottles were not attractive. My high school math teacher did buy some.”
Hard Work and Ambition
After high school, Dr. Inglett took odd jobs to put himself through college in three years. During his last year of college he was able to create a novel chemical and published a paper as the senior author characterizing this new discovery. He then took on the role of Research Assistant at the University of Iowa that allowed him a more comfortable lifestyle.
Dr. Inglett finished his doctorate by the age of 23. “I was able to complete my doctorate in three years,” he said. “I was always excited.”
International Natural Products Screening Program
After graduating, Dr. Inglett met his wife and had a son. Dr. Inglett took a job in the corporate world to raise his growing family.
“I became a middle manager for research,” Dr. Inglett said. “In this job, I had to set up an international natural products screening program. Which took me into the darkest parts of Africa and Asia to acquire these natural products for screening.”
USDA COMES CALLING
When Dr. Inglett’s research was concluded and he moved his family to Peoria, Illinois where he took the job of lead researcher for the USDA in agricultural sciences.
“We are one of the leading centers for utilization research,” Dr. Inglett said. “Utilization research means we find new ways to use agriculture products, as well as by-products and bio-based products and how the crops are used in the marketplace.”
UNLEASHING THE POWER OF OATS
It was during this time, Dr. Inglett discovered that “a nice white powder from oats” reacted well in the breakdown of starches.
Dr. Inglett’s first products he developed were in the “Trim” family, a title Dr. Inglett gave his inventions due to the nutritional value they could add to food. The “Trim” technology is used as a fat replacer to reduce calories in foods and as a way to fight cholesterol as part of a heart-healthy diet.
“By applying the concept of fewer calories, cutting out the fat, my wife and I both lost a considerable amount of weight,” Dr. Inglett said.
Driven to Create Something Better
Dr. Inglett said that discovery was the beginning of the “Trim” technologies. He said oats and barley have high levels of soluble fiber or beta-glucans, which promote an overall outcome of better health. The FDA has given a heart health claim to products that are high in beta-glucans, as they contribute to a healthy heart. Dr. Inglett said that FDA’s claim was very important for his products.
Since the first “Trim” invention that resulted in over a billion dollars in retail sales was an enzyme-converted product, it didn’t initially qualify for a health claim. “So that is when I invented Nutrim, which is a product that does have a health claim. It (Nutrim) had double the level of beta-glucan which makes it a more nutritious item as well as cutting calories.” Dr. Inglett said. “Nu” because of the nutrient value that it could bring to food and “trim” because it could still be used to replace fat.
HELPING HUMANITY MAINTAIN HEALTH
Dr. Inglett says that by creating Nutrim he is gratified that he was a part of something that is helping humanity. He said Nutrim was invented to help people with their weight and heart issues and allow them to live long and healthy lives when coupled with exercise and a sensible diet. The Nutrim process involves breaking open the oat cell wall releasing oat beta-glucans. Jet-propulsion steam is then used to separate beta-glucans from the coarse fiber and then some of the coarse fiber is removed. The product is then dried using steam heat to create a fine powder that is easy to mix in food or beverages.
Dr. Inglett retired from the USDA and has since become a member of the USDA’s Agricultural Research Hall of Fame. He’s received countless awards and recognitions throughout his 60-year career including being chosen as one of the Laureates of The Lincoln Academy of Illinois, the highest honor the state of Illinois can bestow. Dr. Inglett’s last paper was published in 2011 on plant-derived antioxidants. During his interview before for his Hall of Fame induction, Dr. Inglett said there is a great satisfaction in doing something useful.
“Success is not something you can predict,” Dr. Inglett said. “There are many years of trials and error, success and failure — so you can’t really get up in the morning and say, ‘I’m going to invent something today,’ that is illogical. I have been very fortunate in my research to travel through all the forks in the road to success. I believe these products will benefit anyone who tries them and that is the true meaning of success.”