Picture this: it is an alternate universe and you work for a major food company as a product developer in South-East Asia. You come up with the ideas for healthy and tasty creations that you know your consumers will enjoy, and the processes and formulations to bring them to market.

In recent years, there has been growing concern at the rise of obesity and other health issues in South-East Asia. Governments and food companies are increasingly looking for ways to improve health outcomes, and wholegrains are gaining traction as a good option.

Your bosses want new products that incorporate wholegrain wheat, oats and other grains, so you are looking for inspiration on how to get more wholegrains into products that consumers will buy.

Through one of your contacts at the Australian Export Grains Innovation Centre (AEGIC) in Australia, you get hold of a copy of a helpful, free information pack that has some excellent product ideas, complete with formulations and technical advice. Healthy coconut and pandan waffles? Wholesome chocolate oat cookies? Sounds promising, you think. You get to work.

For years, AEGIC has been encouraging customers in Asian markets to use more Australian wholegrains. AEGIC research has shown that Australian wheat is very suitable for wholegrain products because it is less bitter and has better, brighter colour than wheat from other origins.

New product formulations

Recently, AEGIC has been busy developing product formulations to support Asian food companies by helping them produce high-quality, appealing wholegrain food products using Australian grains.

AEGIC’s information pack includes formulae for wholegrain versions of staple foods including bread, instant noodles and dried noodles. Other products such as coconut and pandan waffles, chocolate oat cookies, crackers and youtiao are also included.

Youtiao is a type of fried bread product that can be savoury or sweet and is sometimes called a ‘Chinese donut’. Youtiao is a very popular street food across Asia and is known by different names in different regions.

The product sheets contain all the information Asian manufacturers need to develop similar products – even down to recommending which Australian wheat grades to use.

This kind of information resource is valuable in encouraging the use of more Australian wheat in wholegrain Asian products.

A suite of resources

This product information pack joins several other resources developed by AEGIC to help customers understand the health benefits of wholegrains, and how to mill wholegrain flour efficiently to produce high-quality products.

The material AEGIC provides is greatly appreciated by customers and increases the probability that they will select Australian wheat for wholegrain flour.

AEGIC will continue to take this information to customers in Asian markets, with more webinars planned for 2023.

The full information pack is available by visiting the AEGIC website.

AEGIC is an initiative of the Western Australian State Government and Australian growers through GRDC.

More information: Sabrina Lim, 02 8025 3200, sabrina.lim@aegic.org.au; AEGIC Whole grain products using Australian wheat