Culinology - December 2012 - (Page 8)

EMERGING TRENDS Super grains gain momentum Marketing buzz has begun to focus on “super grains,” and it shows some similarity to how “super fruits” were marketed about five years ago, said Tom Vierhile, innovation insights director for Datamonitor, during a the SupplySide West Global Expo and Conference held in early November in Las Vegas. Like super fruits, super grains are known for their nutritive benefits, he said. Protein and fiber content are two super grain qualities. Other possible characteristics are organic, gluten-free, high omega-3 fatty acid content and non-bioengineered. Super grains are appearing in new products in such categories as breakfast cereal, bread, rolls and cookies, according to Datamonitor, a market research company. Super grains, especially chia seeds, are beginning to appear in beverages. The grains may be combined in one product, such as amaranth and oats in hot cereal, Mr. Vierhile said. In Brazil, one bread product contains chia and macadamia nuts. No scientific definition exists for super grains, Mr. Vierhile said, adding, “It’s kind of a fuzzy term.” In some cases, super grains are actually seeds, like chia seeds and amaranth, but they have nutritive properties that are similar to those of grains. Mr. Vierhile gave details on several super grains during the presentation. Since farro is grown in Europe, more products with it appear in that region of the world, he said. Farro is high in vitamins, magnesium, protein and fiber. Over the past three years, farro has shown up in new products in about 50 categories, according to Datamonitor. Farro may be divided into three different types of grain: spelt, einkorn and emmer wheat. Baked foods such as pancake mixes contain spelt. A sevengrain yogurt product in Poland has spelt. Einkorn wheat may be served on its own. Quinoa has been grown in the Andes mountains in South America for about 5,000 years, Mr. Vierhile said. Growing areas for quinoa are limited, which has led to rising quinoa prices since the 1980s. Quinoa is high in protein and comes in either white strains or red strains. It works well with garlic and other spices. Quinoa may be cooked simply by boiling water, Mr. Vierhile said. “You don’t have to be a chef to use this product,” he said. New products with quinoa have shown up in 40 different categories over the past three years, according to Datamonitor. The categories include breakfast cereal, cereal bars, cookies and pasta. Campbell Soup has quinoa in a product. “The United States has kind of led this whole quinoa movement,” Mr. Vierhile said. Millet, found in bird feed and bean bags, has a nutty flavor. It is sweet and high in protein. Millet has been used in more than 50 different product categories, including breakfast cereal, over the past three years, according to Datamonitor. Amaranth and kañiwa are similar. Amaranth, which is actually a seed, has high protein content and is showing use in bread and pancakes. Not many products feature kañiwa, but amaranth has appeared in new products in about 40 different product categories over the past three years, according to Datamonitor. The categories include The number of new products introduced with chia seeds has doubled over the past three years. 8 | Culinology | DECEMBER 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Culinology - December 2012

Culinology - December 2012
Table of Contents
President's Letter - A foundation for success
Upcoming Events
Emerging Trends - Super grains gain momentum
Digestive traits may affect obesity issue
Soup Trends
Member Profile - Beauty and the Feast
Whole Grains - Delivering grains deliciously
Consumer Trends - What's next?
Ethnic ingredients top McCormick’s Flavor Forecast
Petits Fours
Ad Index

Culinology - December 2012