Your reading list

Grain institute tests downsized

By 
Reading Time: < 1 minute

Published: April 18, 2002

For years scientists at the Canadian International Grains Institute

have baked full-size loaves of bread in big ovens.

Now CIGI has spent $454,000 so it can bake and test little loaves of

bread.

“This saves us a lot of time and we’re able to do things more quickly

and efficiently,” said Brigitte Dupuis, one of CIGI’s baking technology

scientists.

“This enhances our ability to assess new and existing varieties and

classes (of Canadian wheat).”

Read Also

The nose of a CN train engine rounding a corner is in the foreground with its grain cars visible in the background.

Canada-U.S. trade relationship called complex

Trade issues existed long before U.S. president Donald Trump and his on-again, off-again tariffs came along, said panelists at a policy summit last month.

CIGI tests Canadian wheat varieties and classes to find out what works

best for Canada’s international grain customers.

Until now, testing has been done in CIGI’s pilot bakery, which uses

large ovens to produce lots of commercial-size loaves.

The pilot bakery works well when a commercial-size run has to be done,

but CIGI staff say the big ovens don’t work fast or efficiently when a

large number of different varieties have to be tested quickly, or only

small scale preliminary work needs to be done.

The new equipment allows technicians to hone research before they

embark on large-scale tests. Dupuis said the pilot bakery and the new

equipment complement each other.

“Together, CIGI’s new test bakery and the existing pilot bakery offer a

unique and important link between the breeding programs and

bread-making research of a more fundamental nature and the baking and

allied industries which are highly applied in nature,” Dupuis said.

The Canadian Wheat Board spent $171,000 on the project, keeping up with

its usual 40 percent of CIGI funding. The federal government

contributed the rest.

CIGI chair Art Macklin said these kinds of facilities are needed for

the Canadian industry to keep customers happy.

“What we see in this project is co-operation between the farmers of

Western Canada and the government to do a very successful market

development project.”

About the author

Ed White

Ed White

Markets at a glance

explore

Stories from our other publications