In celebration of its 100th anniversary, Mühlenchemie launched an exciting competition in March of this year, offering substantial prizes to pioneers in the use of composite flours within milling, baking, and pasta production. The total prize pool amounted to €10,000, with €5,000 awarded to the first-place winner, €3,000 to the second-place winner, and €2,000 to the third-place winner. The competition aimed to address the limited knowledge in the field of substituting wheat flours with alternative flours in milling and baking processes. Researchers were encouraged to explore vital questions, including the ecological, economic, and technical potential of local crops to partially or completely replace wheat in bread and pasta. Additionally, inquiries focused on the sustainability of their production, the required processing methods for bakers and pasta makers, standardization techniques, the impact on production processes, final product quality, nutritional effects, and the possibilities for new product developments with composite flour.
The competition received a total of 23 research projects from nine countries across four continents, which were meticulously evaluated by an esteemed jury of international experts. The jury included renowned specialists such as Dr. Popper, an expert in enzyme applications in food processing and the Scientific Director of MC Mühlenchemie; Jeffrey A. Gwirtz, an experienced mill engineer and CEO of JAG Services Inc.; Michael Gusko, Global Director for Innovation at GoodMills Group; Rosana Sica, Technical Director of Atime S.A. in Argentina; Sridhar Bhavani from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT); and Professor Olugbenga Ben Ogunmoyela, President of the NGO Consumer Advocacy for Food Safety and Nutrition Initiative (CAFSANI) and CEO of Glytabs Consulting Limited, who possesses extensive expertise in agriculture, food technology, and nutrition.
The first-place prize was awarded to Yusuf Kewuyemi, a doctoral student at the University of Johannesburg, for his groundbreaking work on 3D-printed biscuits made from processed whole-grain flour derived from peas and quinoa grown in Africa. These highly nutritious plants can contribute to reducing the risk of non-communicable diseases. Kewuyemi’s innovative techniques, including fermentation and germination, enhanced the flour’s nutritional content and bioavailability, resulting in a functional and highly nutritious 3D-printed biscuit. His research showcases how traditional crops can be transformed into health-promoting foods through cutting-edge processing methods.
Abdulhakim Idris from Jimma University in Ethiopia secured the second-place prize for his study focused on “Optimizing the process variables for the production of oat compound biscuits.” He extensively analyzed the ideal combination of wheat and oat flour to create biscuits that maintain the sensory qualities of pure wheat biscuits. Through the study of various parameters, such as mixing ratio, baking time, and temperature, Idris determined that a mix ratio of 15% oats to 85% wheat, a temperature of 300°C, and a baking time of 3 minutes and 30 seconds resulted in oat/wheat biscuits comparable to pure wheat biscuits. This research lays a strong foundation for further commercializing mixed oat biscuits and encourages the utilization of oats to address annual wheat deficits in Africa.
The third-place prize was awarded to Saqib Arif from the University of Karachi in Pakistan. His study delved into the potential of composite flour made from underused cereal grains, in response to the global rise in wheat prices and growing sustainability concerns. The results indicated that mixed flours boast a superior nutritional profile, enriched with fiber and bioactive compounds, offering a promising option to reduce dependence on wheat. Nevertheless, challenges remain regarding processability and sensory characteristics.
Additionally, this month, Mühlenchemie unveiled a new brand of enzyme-based ingredients, Omnizym. These enzymes enable the reduction of sugar content in yeast-risen baked foods, effectively addressing the challenges of rising commodity and production costs. Omnizym presents tailored solutions to various flour standardization requirements, considering regional differences in the quality of available raw materials. The brand joins other successful brands, including Alphamalt, Powerzym, and Mulgazym, within the Mühlenchemie portfolio.
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