Canaryseed’s for-the-birds status could be a thing of the past if two research projects find new uses and new markets.
The Canaryseed Development Commission of Saskatchewan has secured $500,000 from Agriculture Canada to complete a human food safety assessment for hairless canaryseed.
Researchers at universities, commercial laboratories and government agencies will be employed to conduct nutritional, chemical, toxicological and allergenicity analyses.
Another $247,000 was secured from the federal government agency to determine the best market opportunities for edible canaryseed.
That project includes identifying potential markets, finding private sector partners and developing products that fit the targeted markets.
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Both projects must be complete by March 31, 2010. The commission will try to co-ordinate the projects in such a way that they also achieve Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status in the United States.
Kevin Hursh, the newly appointed executive director of the commission, said the province’s canaryseed growers have long dreamed about undertaking such expensive research projects aimed at expanding the market for their product beyond birdseed buyers.
“Until the commission came along, there was no means by which to make it happen,” he said.
Canada is the world’s largest producer and exporter of canaryseed. While production has been erratic, ranging from 114,000 to 301,000 tonnes annually so far this decade, export and domestic sales are static at 200,000 tonnes.
Growers would like to expand demand for the product to eliminate the price volatility that has plagued canaryseed markets.
“This was held out as the main reason for putting a commission together, was to try to establish new uses,” said Hursh.
One concept bandied about at producer meetings is to market the crop as an alternative to sesame seeds. But it could find its way into baking, nutraceutical or other food applications in either whole form or as a fractionated or split product.
“We want to leave the net wide open,” he said.
Most of today’s itchy and hairless varieties contain a light brown seed inside the hull, but crop breeder Pierre Hucl has new varieties in the pipeline that have a yellow seed.
“Especially in whole form it is probably a whole lot more pleasing colour for consumer use,” said Hursh.
The $747,000 in Agriculture Canada funding represents about 60 to 70 percent of the anticipated costs for both research projects. The commission hopes to get additional federal funding for the market opportunities study and will also be contributing producer money to both projects through the $1.75 per tonne checkoff it collects on canaryseed sales.
Hursh said it is too early to speculate how much demand for canaryseed would expand by developing food applications for the product.
“Three years from now we should have a better idea of whether the money was well spent,” he said.
