Bean, Chickpea, Lentil and Pea Symposium

Healthy Ingredients for Better Food Products

January 30 & 31, 2008

Toronto, Ontario
Toronto Marriott Bloor Yorkville Hotel

TO SEE PRESENTATIONS DELIVERED AT THE SYMPOSIUM, GO INTO AGENDA & PRESENTATIONS (SEE AT LEFT) AND CLICK ON SPEAKER NAMES.

Symposium Summary

TORONTO, Jan. 30/08 – More than 180 people representing food companies, product developers, pulse processors and food researchers are meeting in Toronto on January 30 and 31st to discuss the nutritional benefits of dry beans, chickpeas, lentils and dry peas.

“Canada’s pulse industry is in the midst of an intensive effort to increase North American awareness of pulse foods, their nutritional benefits and opportunities for use in food processing,” said Peter Watts, Director of Market Innovation for Pulse Canada. “The Pulse Food Symposium is an important step towards reaching our goal of developing partnerships with food and ingredient companies.” The symposium opens tonight at the Toronto Marriott Bloor Yorkville and continues all day tomorrow.

Pulse production has quadrupled in Canada over the last 15 years, making it the country’s fasting growing crop sector. However, 80 per cent of the crop is exported. The Pulse Innovation Project, an initiative of Canada’s pulse industry, is trying to increase North American consumption by stimulating innovation in product development. The Pulse Food Symposium will demonstrate how high-protein, high-fibre pulses can be used in everyday foods, including cookies, muffins, cake and bread mixes, pasta and tortillas. “We’re working with food processors to show that competitively priced pulse ingredients can be used in a wide variety of food applications, from snack foods to entrées,” said Watts. “Adding pulse flour to muffins, for example, is an easy way for processors to boost the nutritional value of a popular mid-morning snack.”

The Pulse Innovation Project is also funding research related to the health benefits of consuming pulses. Clinical research trials are underway to quantify the benefits of pulses related to obesity, diabetes, heart disease and gut health. Preliminary results from these studies, funded by Canada’s pulse industry with support from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, will be released January 31st. Researchers from the University of Saskatchewan will also be presenting results from the study Lentils to Enhance Soccer Performance.

In addition to their nutritional and functional benefits, pulses offer a unique advantage for food companies wanting to differentiate their products according to how “green” they are.

“Pulse crops, in particular peas, lentils and chickpeas, are among the small group of crops that draw their own nitrogen fertilizer directly from the atmosphere, and that reduces carbon dioxide emissions,” said Watts. “Fossil fuel is the main input in commercial nitrogen fertilizer. When you’re eating products made from pulse ingredients, you’re making an environmentally friendly food choice because less fossil fuel is used to grow the crop.”

The Pulse Food Symposium is an initiative of Canada’s pulse industry, made possible through funding from Canada’s Agricultural Policy Framework (APF), a Federal-Provincial-Territorial initiative. Canada’s pulse industry accounts for $1-billion in annual sales to growers.

Contact Us

For more information contact the Pulse Canada office:

1212-220 Portage Avenue

Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 0A5

Phone: (204) 925-4455

Fax: (204) 925-4454

Email: office@pulsecanada.com

		Gluten-free cookies made with pea starch, pea protein and pea fibre. High fibre/high protein pasta made with chickpea and lentil flour.