FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 16, 2009

NEW FOOD PRODUCTS CONTAINING BARLEY TO BENEFIT PRODUCERS, FOOD PROCESSORS AND CONSUMERS

The creation of new food products containing barley will benefit Canadian consumers, producers and food processing companies, says a representative from the Canadian International Grains Institute (CIGI) in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Since April 2008 CIGI and the Food Processing Development Centre in Leduc, Alberta have been jointly involved in a project focused on the development of barley products in conjunction with food and ingredient companies.

Funded by the Advancing Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food (ACAAF) Program, Alberta Barley Commission, and Canadian Wheat Board, the project aims to promote the use of Canadian food barley through research and new product development, says John Dean, Project Manager for Food Barley at CIGI. “We have been working with companies to include hulless barley, mainly as a whole grain flour ingredient, into established North American foods such as bread, cereal, pasta, baked goods and meat products to create new ones that will provide greater health benefits for consumers.”

He says in North America barley has typically been used for beer and animal feed with limited use for food. Hulless barley varieties have allowed for production of 100% whole grain barley flour which offers high levels of beta-glucan soluble fibre, shown to reduce serum cholesterol and risk for heart disease and to regulate blood sugar levels that can help prevent diabetes. In December 2005, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a health claim allowing U.S. food manufacturers to state that foods containing barley may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

“In Canada we don’t have an official health claim for barley, which limits what food companies can say, but as part of a continuing effort to obtain approval an application was made to the federal government earlier this year,” says Dean.

Part of the challenge of the project is communicating the benefits of food barley to the food industry and consumers and generating interest in new products containing barley, he says. A new website launched in May 2009, www.canadianfoodbarley.ca, offers a range of information. “The website is a useful resource on how hulless barley is an excellent ingredient as a whole grain flour in various foods. It covers topics of interest to consumers, producers and food companies such as the nutritional benefits, production, statistics and provides other links.”

The suitability of whole grain barley in a range of products has been evaluated and work is still being conducted on several hulless varieties to compare their performance. “Differences between waxy and regular starch types and different fibre levels between varieties are being assessed so we may use them appropriately in various food products,” Dean says. “This can mean new opportunities for growers of food barley as well as for food processors, in addition to offering products with health benefits to consumers.”

The project is due for completion in October 2009 but according to Dr. Linda Malcolmson, director of special crops at CIGI, plans are underway to renew funding for this project.

For more information contact:

John Dean
Project Manager, Food Barley
Canadian International Grains Institute
(204) 984-3139

Dr. Linda Malcolmson
Director of Special Crops, Oilseeds and Pulses
Canadian International Grains Institute
Tel. (204) 983-8584

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