From aleurone to eco-flour: Milling in action

Our next meeting was with experts from Horizon Milling, which is poised to join forces with ConAgra Mills to create a new company called Ardent Mills (assuming the deal gains regulatory approval).

So what's new?

While whole grains are attracting the most attention right now, there is continued interest in products such as GrainWise Wheat Aleurone, which is derived from the aleurone layer of the wheat kernel and perfect for boosting the nutritional profile of everything from bread to pasta, pizza, tortillas and snacks, said R&D manager Jeff Casper.

Packed with dietary fiber (up to 50%), betaine and lysine, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals including potassium, the aleurone layer is really the most interesting part of wheat - although you can’t put a wholegrain stamp on it - said Casper.

“Some customers just want to be able to talk about whole grains or use the whole grain stamp, but adding aleurone can help you make a good or excellent source of fiber claim, while preserving the sensory qualities that consumers like about white flour - the soft texture high volume, mild taste and light color.”​

Sustainability win win​

Another interesting initiative at Horizon Milling is a precision agriculture program using GPS technology to help wheat farmers be more precise in their application of water and fertilizers according to soil needs in different parts of any given field.

Tests from pilot projects in Idaho show that this approach can significantly reduce input costs for farmers as they can use less water and less fertilizer, while flour produced under the program can be made into products featuring on-pack sustainability claims, offering consumers a positive reason to buy product A over product B.