Grain Applications Program

The Grain Applications Program supports improvements in the health and nutritional characteristics of grains through enhancements in both grain composition and mode of delivery of grain based foods. Health concerns being addressed are weight management, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, muscular function, age related diseases and improved nutrition In addition the program supports improvements in grain processing quality and yield through technologies that influence the biochemical and structural properties of grains.

BioProcessing Technology

This technology has improved flour yield through the use of new biochemical grain treatments. Monoclonal antibodies have been used to identify specific cell components in order to establish targets for modification during the milling process. This work has been supported by proteomics to identify proteins present in the grain that could restrict or promote applied grain treatments. Several grain treatments have demonstrated increased milling efficiency and national phase applications have been lodged to protect this innovation.

New Ingredients Technology

This technology utilizes biochemical and milling technologies to create enriched flour of greater utility. The aim of milling is to separate outer bran layers from the inner endosperm thereby maximizing the yield of white flour whilst minimizing bran contamination. Bran is a by-product which impacts on colour and appearance. The outcome from this technology will be to produce higher value wheat fractions.

Grain Bioactive Secondary Metabolites

There is an increasing demand for therapeutically active secondary metabolites; especially via natural products from traditional food sources that have demonstrated safety for human use. Wheat bran is a large volume by-product that is currently underutilised in the value adding process. Whilst its nutritional value is well known its potential as a functional food, nutraceutical or validated therapeutic pharmaceutical source has not been exploited. Although much is known about the chemistry of wheat bran metabolites, with some therapeutic applications predicted, the use of modern sensitive pharmacological cell based assays combined with phytochemical methods has been used to identify new applications.

Novel Low GI Grain Technology

In the last few years a significant number of food products have been released with low glycaemic index claims. The expectation is that these food products have a lower impact on blood glucose levels by slowing the rate of carbohydrate digestion. Low GI claims are based on an in vivo physiological test that is slow, expensive and has significant variability. Grain Foods has developed new in vitro testing techniques that more accurately measure grain food characteristics impacting GI as an aid to both product development and QA. This has led to new food product opportunities.

Low Allergenicity Food Product Technology

There has been a significant increase in the incidence of food allergies in general and those associated with peanuts in particular. Allergic reactions of this type can result in anaphylactic shock which in the worst case could lead to coma or even death. As a result many child care centres have introduced “no-nut” policies creating a market opening for safe and tasty alternatives. Grain Foods has developed low allergenic food ingredients and products with high levels of nutrition, taste and processing characteristics. A Provisional Patent has been lodged covering one such product.

Antihypertensive Ingredients

Hypertension is a major health problem that is treated with pharmaceuticals that inhibit the angiotensin converting enzymes (ACE). Inhibition of ACE leads to decreased systemic arteriolar resistance and mean diastolic and systolic blood pressure. Evidence suggests that in the long term it is undesirable to use strong pharmaceutical inhibitors and research has shifted to focus on weaker natural inhibitors which are present in foods (particularly food protein hydrolysates). Grain Foods has identified the most appropriate sources of ACE inhibitors from grains.

Novel Asian Foods

Asian food manufacturers are actively seeking lower cost raw materials to replace or substitute for expensive soybean - especially for protein fibre supplements. One alternative is the use of lupins. At the present time the cost of lupins is approximately 50% that of soybean. Lupin is naturally high in protein and dietary fibre, low in fat and carbohydrate and of low GI. This combination of low cost and better quality compared to soybean creates a market opportunity for this legume. Grain Foods has developed patent protected technologies for the production of Asian foods based on lupins.

Canola Meal Protein Isolation

Currently oil extraction for food and biodiesel are the main commercial uses for canola seeds. Although canola oil is a high value product, profitability of the oil extraction process depends on revenue generated from meal. Since canola meal is a good source of valuable nutritional compounds such as proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, essential vitamins and minerals, the meal is a potential source of higher value food or feed ingredients. Despite its high nutritional value, the usage of canola meal as a food/feed ingredient has been restricted by the presence of toxic compounds (glucosinolates) and anti-nutritional factors (phenolics, phytates, etc). Grain Foods has developed proprietary technologies for the production of canola meal fractions that overcomes these problems.

Process Instrumentation Technology

Flour water absorption can be directly related to flour production yield. The current method for testing flour water absorption is highly operator-dependent, prone to poor accuracy and cannot be used on grain flour that does not form viscoelastic dough. This makes it unsatisfactory for the level of process control required in modern bakery operations. A novel operator-independent on-line method for the process measurement of flour or ground wheat water absorbance has been developed and a production prototype instrument is under trial. A patent application has been lodged to protect this invention.

For more information on these and other grain application technologies and how your business can benefit from a partnership with Grain Foods CRC please contact:

David Lind
Commercialisation Director
Grain Foods CRC Ltd
Telephone +61 2 8877 7875, Facsimile +61 2 8877 7879
Email: d.lind@grainfoodscrc.com.au