We spend over $50B on snack food each year in america, and calories from those snacks account for nearly a quarter of our daily energy, are low in nutritional value, and contribute to obesity and…

The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded Diggables, Inc., $650,000 in a Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant (CFDA 10.212) on September 1, 2026, to optimize advanced precision extrusion for manufacturing nutritionally-dense snacks from heritage grains and pulses. The recipient will develop commercially-validated protocols for precision moisture control during extrusion, increase protein content through co-extrusion techniques, maximize shelf life, and establish food-safety standards. Phase I activities resulted in commercialization of a high-protein, high-fiber product distributed throughout the Northeast; Phase II will expand the suite of grains optimized for extrusion and strengthen product-market fit to bring new, healthier snack foods to market. The award is obligated at $650,000 with a period of performance from September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2028, and work will be performed in Yarmouth, Maine. This Phase II project builds directly on demonstrated technical feasibility and commercial traction from the prior Phase I award, addressing the SBIR program's focus on transforming scientific discovery into disruptive innovations with significant commercial and societal benefit.

We spend over $50B on snack food each year in america, and calories from those snacks account for nearly a quarter of our daily energy, are low in nutritional value, and contribute to obesity and chronic disease. Consumer behavior is shifting, but more nutritious heritage grains remain underrepresented, due in part to snack manufacturing that has been optimized for high-starch commodity crops. The goal of this proposal is to build on the success of our phase 1 award using advanced, precision extrusion to DE-risk manufacturing of nutritionally-dense snacks made from heritage grains and pulses. Objectives include optimizing extrusion parameters with precision moisture control, increasing protein content using CO-extrusion, maximizing shelf life, and developing a set of commercially-validated protocols to ensure food safety. If successful, commercialization of the innovations described in this proposal will increase nutritional density in snack foods, strengthen demand for heritage grains, and build a foundation for lasting commercial success across the supply chain. Phase 1 activities led directly to the commercialization of a high-protein, high-fiber product sold throughout the northeast. Phase II activities will broaden the suite of grains optimized for extrusion, strengthen product-market fit, and deepen our strategic positioning using precision manufacturing to bring new, healthier foods to market.