The Ebro Valley leads innovation with healthy and sustainable flours made from agricultural by-products.
July 29, 2024.– Coeliac disease is one of the most widespread digestive disorders worldwide and one of the most common genetically transmitted diseases. Prevalence in Western countries is around 1% of the population. In Spain, this prevalence is observed at 1/71 in the child population and 1/137 in the adult population. It is estimated that in Spain nearly half a million people could be affected, although 70% of them are undiagnosed.
In the Chartered Community of Navarre, with a population of 674,796 inhabitants, approximately 10% of the population follows a gluten-free diet. Therefore, 70,000 people lead a lifestyle in which finding healthy, gluten-free foods is quite difficult (up to 80% of gluten-free products currently on the market are categorised as unhealthy).
In recent years, the market for gluten-free products has been growing. According to a Mintel study, Spain is the third country in the world with the most gluten-free product launches, behind only Brazil and the United States. However, it is difficult to find gluten-free products with an adequate nutritional profile, as well as good organoleptic characteristics. Therefore, it is necessary to promote research to advance the development of ingredients that ensure an adequate nutritional profile in gluten-free products.
In Navarre, a total of 100,000 t of plant by-products are generated each year. 16% of this waste corresponds to 9,000 t of artichoke and 7,000 t of cardoon. On the other hand, wheat straw is considered the agricultural by-product with the greatest potential in the EU due to its composition, abundance and low level of exploitation. According to European Commission data, approximately 144 Mt of wheat straw accumulates in Europe each year. Therefore, the valorisation of these by-products is seen as an opportunity: on the one hand, it facilitates their management, and on the other, it yields new ingredients with health-beneficial properties.
Within this framework, the By-Wheat project has been launched, with the aim of developing gluten-free wheat flours for healthy products, ensuring their quality and food safety, using prebiotic agents and antioxidant and protective ingredients, and incorporating by-products from the agricultural industry of wheat, cardoon and artichoke. To this end, a consortium of companies has been formed, led by Bread Free, with the participation of Ingredalia and BioPalacin Planet, as well as the Ebro Valley agri-food cluster, FOOD+i, and the Aragon Agri-food Innovation and Transfer Foundation, FITA.
Throughout the project, organic gluten-free cereal flours with an adequate nutritional profile for the end consumer will be developed. In addition, prebiotic ingredients will be developed from wheat, and the impact of adding them to gluten-free products will be assessed. In addition, antioxidant and protective ingredients will be developed from broccoli, cardoon and artichoke by-products, and their impact when added to gluten-free products will also be assessed.
The project is funded by the grants for cooperative pilot projects for agricultural innovation under the CAP Strategic Plan in Navarre 2023–2027, in the 2023 call, with a total budget of €180,810.10.
‘By-WHEAT: Development of gluten-free wheat flours for high-quality healthy products, using prebiotic agents and antioxidant and protective ingredients, and incorporating by-products from the agricultural industry of wheat, cardoon and artichoke’
‘By-WHEAT: Developing gluten-free wheat flours to produce high-quality healthy products, using prebiotic agents and antioxidant and protective ingredients, and incorporating by-products from the agricultural industry of wheat, cardoon and artichoke’
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