World Grain - September 2013 - 107

FEATURE: starting new traditions

ConAgra Mills. Its flavor may complement such products as breakfast cereal,
pizza and artisan bread.
The Scoular Co., Minneapolis,
Minnesota, U.S., offers quinoa flour.
SK Food International, Fargo, North
Dakota, U.S., offers quinoa crisps for
use in such applications as cereal, energy bars, snack foods and granola.
Gluten-free sorGhum
Like quinoa, sorghum’s rise in food
use has happened alongside the rise of
the gluten-free category. The market for
gluten-free foods and beverages reached
$4.2 billion in 2012 after a compound
annual growth rate of 28% from 2008 to
2012, according to Packaged Facts.
Archer Daniels Midland Co. (ADM),
Decatur, Illinois, U.S., offers Harvest
Pearl white sorghum flour.
ADM had pancakes with sorghum at
its booth during the Institute of Food
Technologists’ annual meeting and
food exposition July 13-16 in Chicago,
Illinois, U.S.
“Sorghum is a good fit for pancakes
because it can be used as a direct replacement for wheat to make a glutenfree pancake that has a great color,
texture and flavor,” said Brook Carson,
director of R&D, at ADM Milling in
Overland Park, Kansas, U.S.
Sorghum may be used in multigrain applications, and it may increase
whole grain content in baked foods
and snack items.
“Sorghum works very well in cereal
applications because it has a clean flavor
profile and a crisp texture without being
too fragile,” Carson said.
Gluten-free sorghum applications
include pizza crust, crackers, cake,
cookies, brownies, muffins, pancakes
and bread, according to ADM. When
used in conjunction with other proteins, starches and gums, sorghum
flour creates products with good volume and texture.
Since sorghum does not contain gluten
proteins, it will not build structure and
maintain a gluten network like wheat,
but it does provide body, Carson said.

other non-traditional grains to consider
Grain-based foods companies seeking to create products with higher protein levels and glutenfree qualifications increasingly are discovering they have more grains to choose from. Here’s a
sampling of some other non-traditional grains:
Amaranth: The domestication of amaranth, a food crop of the Aztecs, has been dated to
between 6,000 and 8,000 years ago, according to the Whole Grains Council, Boston. Amaranth
is gluten-free and contains calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and even vitamin
C. Protein levels are 13% to 14%. When cooking with amaranth, the Whole Grains Council suggests using at least 6 cups of water for every 1 cup of amaranth.
Buckwheat: Cultivated as a crop as long ago as 4,000 B.C. in the Balkan region of Europe,
buckwheat contains protein, fiber, zinc, copper and manganese, according to the Whole Grains
Council. Because of protein digestibility issues, buckwheat is not the best protein source for
children or anyone with digestive tract issues.
Chia: A third-party laboratory tests every single batch of chia from The Chia Co., based in
Melbourne, Australia. The tests make certain that every 15 grams of chia contain 5.6 grams of
fiber, 2.9 grams of omega-3 fatty acid and 3.1 grams of protein.
Farro: A European grain derived from wheat, farro dates to the ancient Egyptians, according
to American Roland Food Corp., New York, New York. Roland Farro has magnesium, fiber and
vitamins A, B, C and E.
Freekeh: According to Freekehlicious, Norwood, New Jersey, freekeh refers to the harvesting
of grains while they are still soft, young and green. Then they are parched, roasted and dried.
The process captures and retains the grains at the state of peak taste and nutrition. A 42-gram
serving of freekeh contains 6 grams of dietary fiber, 6 grams of protein, 25 mg of calcium and
2.2 mg of iron.
Freekeh Foods, Minneapolis, Minnesota, this year launched an organic freekeh line. The comXXXX
pany offers product in the flavors of original, rosemary and tamari.
Kamut: Kamut International, Missoula, Montana, offers Kamut, a brand name for khorasan
wheat. A study published in the January issue of the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
focused on Kamut’s ability to increase antioxidant capacity and decrease inflammation.
Millet: In many African and Asian areas, millet is a major food component, including in porridge, according to a review published in Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food
Safety. With value-added strategies and appropriate processing technologies, millet grains may
find a place in value-added and health-food products in North America and Europe, according to the review. Using millet, which is gluten-free, in ready-to-eat breakfast cereals seems
feasible. Incorporating millet into bread or noodles may be more difficult since millet has no
gluten. Millet may be used to replace a percentage of wheat flour in such applications.
Spelt: Bay State Milling, Quincy, Massachusetts, in 2012 partnered with exclusive growers
to offer OrganicEssentials whole spelt and OrganicEssentials white spelt flour. The products
provide the health benefits of whole wheat with a milder flavor profile, according to Bay
State Milling.
Suntava Purple Corn: The color in Suntava Purple Corn comes from the high levels of anthocyanins, according to Suntava Corp., Afton, Minnesota. The purple corn is being used as an
ingredient in such food applications as tortilla chips.
Teff: The tiny size of teff makes it suited to semi-nomadic life in areas of Ethiopia and Eritrea,
where it originated, according to the Whole Grains Council. Ethiopians use teff, which is glutenfree, in injera, a spongy flatbread. A cup of cooked teff has 123 mg of calcium. Teff also has high
levels of resistant starch and is an excellent source of vitamin C.

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