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February 14, 2017

14/02/2017: Tritordeum, the new organic cereal arrives in Europe

Agrasys, start-up located in Barcelona, and the German milling company Gut Rosenkrantz have presented together at the world’s leading fair for the organic sector (BIOFACH) the new organic cereal that has arrived in Germany, Tritordeum

Tritordeum is a new cereal with nutritional benefits and respectful to the environment, whose grain is suitable for a wide range of healthy cereal-based products like flour, bread, biscuits, pasta, pizza and beer, among others.

 
Image: Visitbialystock.com
The child of a durum wheat (Triticum durum) and a wild barley (Hordeum chilense), this new organic cereal is winning supporters all over Europe due to its nutritional benefits: high levels of fibre, unsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants like lutein.

Experts consider it a more digestible cereal in comparison to wheat; however, it is not suitable for coeliac disease sufferers. The production of this cereal is mainly located in southern European countries like Spain, Italy, South of France and Turkey through local farmers with organic certification. Moreover, it has a respectful and controlled value chain, following the principles of sustainable development and traceability.

This presentation in Nuremberg takes place in a context in which the trends for health, wellness and organic food products provide excellent growth opportunities.

This is pointed-out in the latest industry survey made by German Trade & Invest (GTAI) and the 2016 IFOAM Report that also confirms that companies are constantly improving existing products through the application of the latest innovations. For this reason, BIOFACH has been the event chosen for the official launch of this new cereal whose flours are already available in Germany thanks to Gut Rosenkrantz.

The German company has signed a collaboration agreement with Agrasys – company that has the exclusive rights over Tritordeum - to be the first milling company selling organic Tritordeum flours in Germany. The two companies have presented together in Nuremberg the latest innovation in the organic food sector: Tritordeum.

Getting to know Tritordeum
Among the 2,749 exhibitors from 87 countries gathering at BIOFACH one stands out: Tritordeum. Its name comes from the fusion of Triticum (wheat) and Hordeum (barley) which are, in fact, the father and the mother of Tritordeum.

“This new cereal is the child of a natural cross (a practice used since agriculture began) between these two species and has nothing to do with GMO”, points out the managing director of Agrasys, Dr Pilar Barceló. First of all, Tritordeum has particular qualities and functionalities not found in other cereals that make it very suitable for producing innovative products in response to consumer demands and current market trends.”

“This new cereal has nutritional, agronomical and organoleptic properties that make it special”, says Dr Barceló.

In comparison to wheat, it has high levels of dietary fiber, lutein - an antioxidant involved in eye health that protects the retina from UV light and the effects of aging - and unsaturated fatty acids like oleic acid, very important in the Mediterranean diet.

Furthermore, Tritordeum is considered more digestible than wheat. Although it contains gluten and it is not suitable for coeliac sufferers, it can be an alternative for those people with Non-Coeliac Gluten Sensitivity.

In agronomic terms, it is a robust crop with good resistance to the stresses of climate change. The organic production takes places in Spain, Italy and the South of France.

In addition, Tritordeum products are also characterised by excellent organoleptic characteristics: sweet flavour, pleasant aroma and an attractive and distinctive golden colour (due to its high lutein content).

German market and prospects
Spain, Italy, Turkey, France, Switzerland and Germany comprise the list of six countries where this new cereal has already reached the market in a range of products, including flour, bread, biscuits, pasta, pizza and beer.

In Germany, organic Tritordeum flours are now available thanks to Gut Rosenkrantz which becomes the first organic milling company that has introduced this new cereal onto the German market.

Louisa Münchhausen, Seed Business Manager of Gut Rosenkrantz, points out that, “working with organic Tritordeum allows Gut Rosenkrantz to combine innovation and tradition at the same time.”

However, the first sacks of organic Tritordeum flour were brought to the market last year by KonaPlus, an innovative distributor from the South of Germany, strongly committed to natural and healthy products.

“Tritordeum fits very well in the German market because it is a frontrunner in the consumption of organic products and by far the largest market in Europe”, affirms Dr Barceló.

The first successes are already happening - since the 20th of January, bread, biscuits and cakes of Tritordeum are available in the 37 stores that Exner Bakery has in Berlin and Brandenburg. Thus, Exner becomes the first bakery offering Tritordeum baked goods in Germany.

And Tritordeum is also winning supporters in other European countries. More than 600 points of sale - from artisan bakeries to large supermarkets - in Spain, Italy, Turkey, France, Switzerland and Germany have incorporated a wide variety of food products made with the flour of this new cereal.

Since the new cereal was launched in Spain in 2013, Agrasys has closed various collaboration agreements with different companies that already sell flour or other products made from Tritordeum.

More than an organic cereal

Agrasys has a strong commitment to the philosophy that surrounds Tritordeum. This new cereal has a respectful and controlled value chain following the principles of sustainable development.


Read more HERE.
 

The Global Miller
This blog is maintained by The Global Miller staff and is supported by the magazine Milling and Grain
which is published by Perendale Publishers Limited.


For additional daily news from milling around the world: global-milling.com

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