The company has developed prototypes under each product category, using its GrainWise Wheat Aleurone ingredient to boost their nutrient content. It can also help position products as 'natural', said the firm.

Derived from the aleurone layer of wheat bran, GrainWise is said to be a concentrated source of essential vitamins, including thiamin, niacin and folic acid. It also and important minerals, including phosphorus, magnesium, iron and zinc. It includes antioxidants from whole wheat and contains 45 percent dietary fiber.

"It can be challenging for food manufacturers to develop all-natural products that also are rich with nutrients," said Kyle Marinkovich, marketing manager, Horizon Milling.

"Because GrainWise Wheat Aleurone is both all-natural and packed with nutrition, it's a great way to enrich consumer products while still remaining all-natural."

Cereals

Horizon Milling created cereal flakes using GrainWise, in an effort to demonstrate how cereal manufacturers can use the ingredient to tap into growing consumer demands for 'nutritious' and 'natural' products in the category.

The company said the flakes are an "excellent" source of fiber, antioxidant nutrients manganese and selenium, and phosphorus and magnesium.

They also contain iron, thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6 and copper.

Bars

The company's bar with fiber and protein aims to demonstrate nutrition, portability and convenience in a product.

Together with fiber and protein, the bar also claims to be an "excellent" source of vitamin E and copper, and a "good" source of fiber, protein, niacin, phosphorus and magnesium.

Snacks

The company's puffed snack is an example of products that could tap into the 'better-for-you' snacking category, said Horizon.

It is an "excellent" source of fiber, magnesium and phosphorus, and a "good" source of niacin, vitamin B6 and copper, it said.

It is also low-fat, sodium-free and contains zero grams of trans fat.

GRAS

The company said its GrainWise is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for use in foods and beverages. It is produced using Horizon's proprietary process for isolating the bran's aleurone layer, where many of the whole wheat nutrients are concentrated.

"Nutrition scientists have confirmed that isolated aleurone is preferable to full bran because it contains concentrated levels of almost all the whole wheat nutrients believed to help promote better health," said Horizon.