Miller Magazine Issue: 141 September 2021

61 COVER STORY MILLER / september 2021 demonstrated significant differences in the quality of yellow pea flours milled using hammer, stone and roller mill technol- ogies. These differences are reflective of the mill’s distinct influence during the grinding process and translate into vari- ability in particle size and composition, all of which have all been found to affect the end-use applicability of a flour. In or- der to successfully capitalize on pulse flour industry growth, the ability to consistently deliver on these quality attributes is key—with the mill itself not being the only factor to consider. In order to help millers better produce consistent quality flours, the Canadian pulse industry is investing in research to gain a deeper understanding of how crop type, variety, growing environment, pretreatments and the milling processes itself af- fects the properties of pulse flours. For example, Pulse Canada recently conducted a study in collaboration with IMPROVE SAS to evaluate the effects of a changing roller mill configuration on pea and lentil flour quality (results from this project are openly accessible and published in the Legume Science journal). By simply altering the length of mill flow and sieve used to collect flours, individual streams exhibited differences in terms of their physical and chemical characteristics that were significantly re- lated to the functionality of each flour. In fact, trained sensory panelists were able to detect these differences when the flours were later incorporated into bread and noodles replacing sim- ply 10% of wheat flour. This detectable difference in food incor- porating these differentially milled flours speaks to the impor- tance of consistency in the milling process. The better access manufacturers have to quality flours of specified characteristics, the more rapidly the industry will grow, and the easier it will be for millers to capitalize on the demand. Right now, the biggest opportunity for pulse flour ap- plication include: 1. Bakery (CAGR 2020-2023 = 24%): pulse flours are a gluten-free, clean-label ingredient as an option in gluten-free baking but can also be used in traditional bakery at lower in- clusion rates (5-20%) in order to boost the nutritional value of the finished product as well as the amount of protein that is eligible for a source-of-protein claim. Any negative effects of pulse flour addition on dough rheological properties can be overcome by the addition of vital wheat gluten and/or dough conditioners. Pulses have been successfully incorpo- rated into a range of bakery applications including biscuits, leavened breads, pastries, tortillas, flatbreads and more. 2. Pasta (CAGR 2020-2023 = 18%): pasta is a rising cate- gory in which pulse flours perform particularly well. It follows that inclusion rates here are much higher ranging from 50- 100%, where products are high in protein, fibre and nutrient dense. 3. Processed Meats & Alternatives (CAGR 2020-2023 = 29%): pulse flours can serve as a binder to retain fat and moisture throughout the cooking process (~5% inclusion). Through the deactivation of the enzyme lipoxygenase, heat treated flours have also been found to contribute to colour stability in raw and frozen storage of ground meat products. 4. Extruded Snacks and Breakfast Cereals (CAGR 2020- 2023 = 35% and 27%): similar to other starchy ingredients, pulse flours are able to expand under extruded conditions. Pulse flours serve as a really good tool to boost the nutrition- al value of these products (20-40% inclusion) as we are see- ing more and more consumers demand healthy, nutritious snacks that still deliver on flavour. With a rise in plant-based protein and consumers looking for more sustainable ingredients, pulses are in a position to lead in innovation. Millers who invest in pulse flours early on will set themselves up to be a pillar in the industry’s growth. Pulse Canada works with companies from around the world and across the value chain to help them make the most of their pulse products. If processing pulse flours is something you’re interested in and want more information, get in touch with Janelle Courcelles at jcourcelles@pulse- canada.com or visit pulsecanada.com for more resources.