[INGREDIENTS] by Karen Nachay Grains: Bakery and Beyond rains in bakery products. Of grains—which contain higher using whole grains, heirloom grain course. Grains in beverages, amounts of key vitamins and miner- varieties, ancient grains, and Gsalads, snack foods, confec- als—across product categories as sprouted grains to create standout tions, and meat dishes. Why not? health professionals and nutritionists food products and menu items, While grains are key ingredients in encourage people to eat more of attract new consumers, and stay bakery products—they’re found in these nutrient-dense ingredients. As on-trend. everything from apple pie to zucchini far as specific grains are concerned, bread—they are also increasingly corn and wheat are still quite popu- Expert Input on Ancient, Sprouted Grains being used in other applications like lar, but others like amaranth, barley, Sprouted and ancient grains are two veggie burgers, coatings for meat, sorghum, black rice, millet, and more trending grain ingredients, touted for bowl applications, snack foods, and are gaining traction thanks to the mix their health benefits, the differences beverages. of different nutrients they contribute in flavors and textures that they bring With health and wellness top of to the diet, their unique flavors, to food products, and their marketing mind for many consumers, expect to and—when used in whole or piece potential. Experts from two leading see more sprouted grains and whole forms—their visual appeal. Consider producers of sprouted and ancient grains gave their insights into formu- lating with them during an education session at the 2016 International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE) this past October (Brensing et al. 2016). Generally speaking, a sprouted grain is a grain that is in between a dormant seed and a plant, said Sean Finnie, commercial science leader at Bay State Milling, Quincy, Mass. (baystatemilling.com). “But defining when that process begins and when it ends is somewhat difficult to do, and the industry does not have any standard for that right now,” he explained. “And that is something that we have to work toward to make sure we’re all on the same level play- ing field in discussing the benefits of sprouted grains.” Those benefits include an increased concentration of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants and improved bioavailability of some of these nutrients. Keep in mind, said Finnie, that the nutritional benefits of sprouting depend on many factors, including the type of grain, the vari- Grains come in many colors and sizes. Each has its own flavor and functions to contribute to different types ety of that grain, processing of food products, not just bakery. © egal/iStock/Thinkstock conditions, and the processing time. »» 12.16 • www.ift.org 53 pg [INGREDIENTS] Grains: Bakery and Beyond continued... With the push to eat more whole grains as a key component of the current dietary guidelines, health-conscious consumers are looking for whole grain options in the foods they purchase in both grocery stores and restaurants. formulations; the way that they use them good understanding of what the finished and the amounts that they incorporate product will look like, and they need to can affect the extent to which they add a consider input, process, and applica- nutritional benefit within the finished tions, said Tess Brensing, technical food product, explained Finnie. Sprouted products manager at ADM Milling, grains are typically used in smaller Chicago (adm.com), who also presented amounts when they top dough or are at the IBIE session. By input, Brensing incorporated into it; however, manufac- meant what type of ancient grain and turers are not going to capture all of the what variety of that type of grain is being nutritional benefits of sprouting when used in the formulation. (She said that they are used in such minor amounts, he different varieties of an ancient grain can said. If maximizing the nutritional bene- have different colors, and that could fits of sprouted grains in finished affect the visual consistency of the fin- products is the goal, added Finnie, “you ished products.) It is also important to have to be the dough.” By this, he means using dough that is actually made from sprouted grains as opposed to topping Four-Grain Kolache dough with the grains or incorporating them in the dough. n on-trend, bite-sized Caramel The other grain category of note is Apple Streusel Kolache product ancient grains, which are “grains that are Aconcept featured several grain largely unchanged over the last several ingredients from ADM, Chicago hundred years,” according to the Whole (adm.com). The kolache, served at Grains Council, Boston, Mass. the 2016 International Baking Sprouted grains are said to have higher amounts of key nutrients than (wholegrainscouncil.org). In other words, Industry Exposition, was formulated traditional grains. Manufacturers have to carefully monitor the ancient grains have not undergone the with two different kinds of flour— sprouting process to ensure that the final sprouted ingredient maintains extensive modern plant breeding tech- wheat and sorghum—and organic the levels of these nutrients. © Yulia Davidovich/iStock/Thinkstock niques that commodity grains have. The quinoa flakes and organic rolled category includes einkorn, emmer, farro, oats. The flakes and oats were used Finnie outlined three main steps in Kamut (a trademark for the khorasan in the streusel that topped an apple sprouting grains. First is steeping the wheat variety), and spelt, which are grain filling. ADM produces an extensive grain in water for 8–24 hours. During this ancestors of modern wheat. It also line of flours and ancient grains. Its time, there is the release of plant hor- includes millet, teff, triticale, freekeh, and line of wheat flours and dry milled mones that activate the production of sorghum, and the pseudocereals buck- corn ingredients are developed to enzymes (amylase, protease, and lipase) wheat, quinoa, and amaranth. Since meet the functional needs of spe- that break down the storage components these grains originated thousands of cific applications. The company (nutrients) in the grain. The second step years ago in regions all around the world, offers malted barley flour, farina, involves draining the hydrated grain and manufacturers can use this information wheat bran, cracked wheat, moving it into a germination vessel or bed to tell a story, as Bob’s Red Mill, crushed wheat, recleaned wheat where it is aerated and mixed to allow the Milwaukie, Ore. (bobsredmill.com), has berries, bulger, and rye flour as well grain to use the nutrients to germinate done with its Grains-of-Discovery ancient as several rice flour and rice grit and sprout. Finally, the grain is moved to grain line. Packaging for these products, ingredients. Manufacturers looking a kiln to stop the sprouting process and which consumers can purchase in gro- for ancients grains can choose from dry it out to a moisture content less than cery stores and online, features brief amaranth, buckwheat, buckwheat 12%. Finnie added that grain producers descriptions of the origins of each grain groat flour, millet, pregelled millet can also toast the grain at this point to in addition to nutritional information and flour, sorghum, quinoa, hemp, and create additional flavors in it. recipe suggestions. teff. There are also many gluten- Food manufacturers can use When formulating with ancient free, organic, and non-GM versions. sprouted grains in a variety of ways in grains, manufacturers should have a pg 54 12.16 • www.ift.org [INGREDIENTS] Grains: Bakery and Beyond continued... consider how the size and shape of the refined grains, especially those high in several speakers at the Whole Grains grains affects how they hydrate. The way saturated fats, added sugars, and/or Council’s Whole Grains Away from Home the grain is processed—either pin milled sodium, such as cookies, cakes, and conference held in September or roller milled—can make a difference in some snack foods. …The recommended (DiDomenico 2016). Menu items with the particle size of the flour, and that can amount of grains in the Healthy U.S.- these and other grains that he pointed influence the functionality of the flour Style Eating Pattern at the 2,000-calorie out included quinoa burgers, five-grain and texture of the finished product, said level is 6 ounce-equivalents per day. At oatmeal, vegan burritos with farro and Brensing. Finally there is the application, least half of this amount should be whole brown rice as two ingredients in the fill- or finished product, itself. Brensing grains,” (HHS/USDA 2015). ing, chicken piccata with amaranth flour explained that other ingredients in the With the push to eat more whole in the crust, and buckwheat banana formulation, such as sugar and fat, will grains as a key component of the current pancakes. influence how the flavor of the ancient dietary guidelines, health-conscious con- “Part of the momentum for whole grains come through in the final product, sumers are looking for whole grain grains also has to do with the issue of and that manufacturers might need to use options in the foods they purchase in both quality,” said Kelly Toups, program certain grains over others depending on grocery stores and restaurants. Product the flavor desired. developers have answered the call, and through trial and error, they have formu- GM-Free Ancient Grains The Whole Story on Whole Grains lated a large array of great-tasting Among other foods, consumers are products