Kröner-Stärke launches sustainable buckwheat flour for bakery

Kröner-Stärke has launched a new buckwheat flour product with high nutritional value and sensory qualities to meet the growing consumer demand for clean label, sustainably sourced products.

Sustainably grown and produced at the company’s production HQ in Ibbenbüren, Germany, the flour is ideal for the bakery industry.

Buckwheat is classed as a pseudocereal, meaning that while treated as a grain, botanically it does not belong to the family of cereals. Problems with diseases and pests are rare in buckwheat.

According to Kröner-Stärke, the pregelatinised buckwheat flour is proving popular with food manufacturers due to its fresh-keeping and water binding properties, which are improving dough yields without the use of food additives or expensive processing techniques.

The product comes cold-swelling, so dough mixes can be easily thickened without the need for heating.

Pregelatinised buckwheat flour is particularly useful for its fresh-keeping qualities in bread, as well as for the softening of pancakes like blinis and other typical products based on buckwheat.

In terms of nutritional value, buckwheat contains high quality proteins, which occur in a favourable amino acid profile and cover eight essential amino acids.

Compared to cereals buckwheat also has a high biological value — an important feature for vegans. It is also rich in vitamin B, minerals and antioxidants.

When it comes to taste and sensory qualities, buckwheat has long been enjoyed as a staple ingredient in Russia and the Far East. Increasing numbers of consumers in the West are discovering the slightly nutty flavour of buckwheat as more people seek out ancient grains for their taste, health benefits and contribution to biodiversity.

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