BABY GRAINS Operational Group: Development and marketing of innovative, healthy, and sustainable gluten-free baby foods from gluten-containing cereals
- Type Operational group
- Status In progress
- Execution 2023 -2026
- Assigned Budget 237.042,00 €
- Scope Autonómico
- Autonomous community Aragón
- Main source of financing PEPAC 2023-2027
This project seeks to develop new gluten-free baby foods that are healthy and sustainable, using whole-grain flours from organic cereals containing gluten, such as spelt and barley. To eliminate the harmful gluten and categorize these products as "gluten-free," an innovative biotechnological process will be implemented. The project will develop two product lines, one containing gluten and the other gluten-free, with the following characteristics:
- Optimal nutritional properties.
- Good organoleptic attributes.
- Suitable for celiacs in the case of gluten-free baby foods.
Environmentally friendly packaging that guarantees food safety.
To this end, sustainable crop production will be implemented, prioritizing water conservation; gluten-containing and gluten-free baby foods, such as infant cereals and teething biscuits, will be developed; and their nutritional, technological, and food safety properties will be analyzed.
Project activities:
- Activity 1: Ecological, efficient and sustainable production of grains and flours from spelt, barley with high beta-glucan content and rice.
- Task 1.1: Sustainable and efficient production of organic cereals.
- Task 1.2: Production of flour from organic cereals produced.
- Activity 2: Development of two ranges of healthy baby foods made from spelt, barley and rice, with and without gluten (through an innovative agro-industrial process).
- Task 2.1: Studies of cereal grain processing (roasting process).
- Task 2.2: Milling studies and development of new cereal flour formulations.
- Task 2.3: Manufacturing and characterization of gluten-free flours using an innovative agro-industrial process.
- Task 2.4: Characterization, food safety, packaging and shelf-life studies, and selection of new baby foods.
- Activity 3: Marketing and promotion trials of healthy and sustainable baby foods developed.
- Task 3.1: Development of pre-commercial prototypes of the selected baby foods in shared workshops.
- Task 3.2: Preference analysis through consumer surveys and close-to-market analysis at real points of sale.
- Task 3.3: Promotion, distribution and innovative marketing through cooperative supermarkets and other establishments.
- Activity 4: Actions to disseminate and communicate the project results.
- Task 4.1: Dissemination of project results to producers, processors, distributors and consumers to promote organic production and the consumption of healthy and sustainable foods.
The BABY GRAINS project is being developed in various areas of Aragon and Navarre. The main development areas are San Miguel de Cinca, Zaragoza, and Tudela.
- Zone 1: San Miguel de Cinca in the Cinca Medio region (Huesca). In this area, spelt, barley, and rice are produced organically on organic farms certified by the CAAE (Central Agricultural Association of the Province of Huesca) in the town of Pomar de Cinca. Furthermore, the grain is cleaned, sorted, and milled at the Biopalacín Planet facilities. The production plots for the trials are located in a municipality with protected areas within the Natura 2000 Network, specifically in San Miguel del Cinca (ES2410073). The protection of natural heritage, spaces, habitats, and species is ensured through the use of biopesticides and the placement of nest boxes, in collaboration with the Ueco Association.
- Zone 2: Zaragoza In Zaragoza, the characterization and development of the baby foods produced in the project is carried out. This is carried out in: - The Physical, Chemical, and Instrumental Analysis Laboratory of the Analysis and Technological Assistance Laboratories Area (ALAAT) of CITA - The Food Safety and Cereal Quality Laboratory (SACC) of FITA - The plant product technology laboratories, the Food Safety Analysis and Evaluation laboratories (of the Department of Animal Production and Food Science, PACA) - The Pilot Plant of the University of Zaragoza The cooperative supermarket A VECINAL, located in Zaragoza, is in charge of the marketing, distribution, and sales activities of the products. Consumer surveys are carried out both in the supermarket and in different areas of the city. Distribution and marketing extend to the entire Aragonese territory through collaboration with existing consumer groups and at the national level through the Cooperative Supermarket Network, present in 10 provinces. The dissemination of the results is coordinated from UAGA's central offices, also located in Zaragoza.
- Zone 3: Tudela (Navarra) The Bread Free company, located in Tudela, Navarra, develops gluten-free flours from the innovative technological process to eliminate gluten.
The overall objective is the development, characterization, and marketing of new, innovative, healthy, and sustainable baby foods based on whole-grain, organic flours from gluten-containing cereals, with better nutritional and organoleptic properties than current products, both with and without gluten (through the incorporation of an innovative agro-industrial process). To this end, two lines of action have been established: - Production, development, and characterization of two ranges of baby foods. - Innovative marketing of the developed products.
The expected results are:
- Sustainable production of organic spelt, barley with high beta-glucan content, and rice.
- Production and characterization of flours from the studied cereals with improved nutritional properties and optimal technological capabilities, through the design and application of an innovative agroindustrial process to eliminate gluten from flours.
- Development of healthy and sustainable ranges of baby products (with and without gluten) using the flours obtained. These products must have optimal nutritional properties, good organoleptic attributes, and be suitable for celiac patients (in the case of gluten-free baby foods).
- Packaging that is environmentally friendly and guarantees food safety.
- Development of innovative marketing techniques for new children's products through online channels and through Cooperative Supermarkets selling organic and local products.
- Communication and dissemination of the results obtained in the project to reach all interested parties.
- Name of the coordinator/entity: Aragon Foundation for Innovation and Agri-Food Transfer
- Postal address: Avda. Montañana, 930 • 50059 Zaragoza - SPAIN
- Coordinator/entity email: info@fita-aragon.es
976 713305
- Fundación de Innovación y Transferencia Agroalimentaria de Aragón
- BIOPALACIN PLANET SL(lucia@biopalacinplanet.com)
- UNIÓN DE AGRICULTORES Y GANADEROS DE ARAGÓN (UAGA)(aelorriaga@uaga-aragon.com)
- COOPOLIS S. COOP(gerencia@avecinal.org)
- JOSE LUIS PALACIN PIQUERO(lucia@biopalacinplanet.com)
- Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria de Aragón (CITA)(info@cita-aragon.es)
- Fundación de Innovación y Transferencia Agroalimentaria de Aragón
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