Sustainable, greener cereal on display at food summit

By Noli Dinkovski

- Last updated on GMT

Tritordeum is a healthier and greener than most recognised varieties of cereal
Tritordeum is a healthier and greener than most recognised varieties of cereal

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A new Mediterranean cereal said to be more nutritional and sustainable than recognised varieties was highlighted at this year’s Sustainable Food Summit in Amsterdam.

A combination of durum wheat and wild barley, Tritordeum offered real advantages for the environment, the consumer and farmers, according to Agrasys managing director Dr Pilar Barceló, who gave a speech on the cereal’s benefits.

“It stands up well to drought, high temperatures and flooding​,” Barceló said. “The fact that Tritordeum makes efficient use of water and has good resistance to diseases, reducing pesticide usage, makes it a more sustainable cereal with reduced environmental impact.”

Ten times more antioxidants

Tritordeum is said to contain 10 times more lutein – an antioxidant for eye health – than wheat. It also has more unsaturated fatty acids like oleic acid, more digestible gluten, and significantly fewer gluten proteins associated with food intolerances when compared to wheat, Barceló said.

Although it is not suitable for coeliac disease sufferers, it may be an alternative cereal for those who wanted to reduce their gluten intake or people with non-coeliac gluten sensitivity, she added.

Tritordeum is cultivated in Spain, Italy, Greece and the south of France, and 50% of the production comes from local farmers with organic certification. Once harvested, Agrasys supervises the distribution of cereal from field to mill.

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