In partnership with a leading Australian lupin grower, raw material supplier CK Ingredients has introduced Sweet Lupin Flour to the North American baking and food industry.
Non-GMO and gluten-free, Sweet Lupin Flour features an exceptionally strong nutritional profile. It is comprised of approximately 40% protein, over 30% fibre, and has the lowest Glycemic Index (GI) rating among common legumes and grains. Furthermore, a series published clinical studies have demonstrated Lupin’s positive impact on blood glucose, blood pressure, cholesterol, appetite suppression and prebiotic effect. Functionally, Sweet Lupin offers technical advantages in bakery products (both conventional and gluten-free) and other food – this includes water-binding, emulsification, flavor and color enhancement, and partial fat and egg replacement.
FoodIngredientsFirst spoke with Michael Chernyak, President and CEO of CK Ingredients: “The nutritional profile of Lupin is quite remarkable - over 70% of our material consists of protein and fiber, two strong trends in the market at the consumer level,” he adds, “This is a whole-food ingredient – the protein is not isolated. That’s a very high naturally-occurring level of protein. Marrying this with a low GI rating, impressive clinical data and technical benefits, we believe we have what could become a staple ingredient in the North America bakery and food market.”
Chernyak talks about the importance of gluten-free: “Many gluten-free products are devoid of nutritional value – low-value rice, potato and other starches are used. Lupin functions very well in gluten-free bakery products and other foods, adding much needed nutrient content while being gluten-free.”
“The other important reason is the growing obesity and diabetes epidemics. Lupin has a very low GI (thanks to very low starch content), and published clinical data demonstrates Lupin’s value as an appetite suppressant (satiety effect) and its positive impact on blood glucose levels. We see it potentially rivaling soy at some point in the future, once proper consumer awareness and education are in place,” he adds.
“Lupin can be used in all types of bakery products – cakes, cookies, breads, bagels, etc. Same goes for pasta. These are starchy foods that can be made “better for you” with some simple formulation adjustments. Lupin can be part of the equation. It can also be used in snack foods, soups, and more – even smoothie beverages.”
Chernyak says: “85% of the world’s lupin comes from Western Australia. this part of the world. They have fine-tuned the growing methods to minimize alkaloid levels – to enable lupin to be palatable to consumers (it was originally only used in animal feed). Our specific supplier is the largest grower and processor of Lupin Kernel Flour in the world.”
“Some consumers are allergic to lupin and this is a concern. It is estimated that approximately 0.5% of the population is allergic to it. Roughly 50% of the people allergic to peanuts will also be sensitive to lupin. The prevalence of allergy to peanut has been estimated as between 0.3% to 1.5% in studies from Britain, Canada, France and the USA. The FDA has provided this information to consumers and is tracking lupin adverse events,” he adds, “It’s interesting to note that Health Canada did a formal review of lupin, and determined that it is NOT a priority allergen – Health Canada is known to be a conservative regulatory body. Also, we know people who have been in the lupin business for over 10 years, and they tell us that they have not had a single adverse report related to Australian lupin.”
Chernyak says: “In a European study published in 2009, less than 2% of a large group of patients evaluated for food allergies showed positive allergy tests for lupin. C ompared to peanut (8% of patients) and soy (11% of patients), sensitization to lupin wasn’t particularly common. It’s important to note that bakery manufacturers routinely use allergenic ingredients – wheat, soy, milk, egg, nuts, etc. Although peanuts can be dangerous to some, peanut production and consumption has been GROWING worldwide. At the end of the day, it’s a matter of declaring it on the label and consumers reading the labels.”
He adds: “Today’s consumer routinely does research online and can make their own determination (whether or not it’s suitable). We can’t be all things to all people, and the health/nutritional benefits of lupin are simply too compelling.”
