Baking&Snack - August 2013 - 49

FORMULATION
Whole Grains

Bakers and snack producers get creative to meet consumers’ nutrition demands.

by Charlotte Atchley
Whether consumers like the taste of whole grain or not,
they all want the nutrition. “If consumers have a choice
between a whole grain or refined product, they are going to choose whole grain for its nutritious image,” said
Karen Mansur, program director for the Whole Grains
Council, “especially if they can get that nutrition in a
way that tastes like what they’re used to.”
Consumers are reading food labels more than ever
and looking for recognizable ingredients. Institutions
and foodservice establishments are asking bakers for
more whole grain options. In return, bakers are asking
for more whole grain ingredients.
Even though whole grain is becoming more and more
widely accepted, it does not exist without its own challenges. Food processors must navigate a world of regulation and a sea of confused consumers. “There is still
consumer confusion between products with whole grain
claims, the Whole Grain Stamp, and ‘Made with Whole
Grain’ labels,” said Jeff Casper, R&D manager, Horizon
Milling, Wayzata, MN.
Bakers and snack makers should know what ingredients consumers are looking for as well as the taste and
texture their target shoppers prefer. And then there
is the price tag. “The economy has made it difficult on
these premium products because of their higher price,”
said Robert C. Meyer Jr., director of technical services,
Dakota Specialty Milling, Inc., Fargo, ND. Finding costeffective ways to formulate with whole grains is necessary in order to pass those savings onto the consumer
and get the products into the shopping cart.

Wheat has long dominated the whole grain marketplace as the preferable grain for formulating whole grain
products. When substituting whole grain for refined
flour, the obvious choice is to replace it with wheat in
its whole grain form. Now that consumers are used
to whole wheat, the next step is to venture into other,
less prevalent whole grains. “The whole grains baking
market was once focused on growing the whole wheat
bread category,” said Colleen Zammer, director of product marketing, Bay State Milling, Quincy, MA. “Now, in
many areas, whole wheat is exceeding white bread sales,
and consumers are growing tired of only having two
choices, white or brown.”

Today’s innovations in
whole grains offer bakers
a plethora of options for
the right taste, texture and
functionality they are looking for in creating a variety
of whole grain products.
ADM Milling

A new spin on bread
As consumers have acclimated to the bitterness and
hearty texture of whole wheat bread, they’ve sought out
some diversity in their whole grain bread options, giving
bakers the opportunity to get creative when it comes to
taste and texture of the average loaf of bread.
“From a grain standpoint, this has led to bread and
baked products using more ancient grains and glutenfree grains for their marketing and nutritional appeal,”
Ms. Zammer said. With its acquisition of T.J. Harkins
in August 2013, Bay State Milling expanded its grain
choices from wheat, rye and spelt to include ancient
grains such as amaranth, quinoa, buckwheat and sorghum, which happen to also be gluten-free.
Grain Millers, Inc., Eden Prairie, MN, which focuses
on oat products, has seen the value of and demand for

August 2013 / Baking & Snack / 49

Baking&Snack - August 2013

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