The renaissance of a long forgotten crop that boosts metabolism and enhances gut health.

For many people, shopping for bread is a wellbeing activity. The number of consumers searching for additional health benefits and authentic grain specialities is growing. But a simple solution can be found in Tartary Buckwheat, an ancient Sleeping Beauty recently reawakened by GoodMills Innovation.

Tartary Buckwheat supplies everything that today's consumers demand: centuries-old traditional use combined with valuable nutrients. Branded under the name RutinX, the Hamburg-based company offers the ingredient Tartary Buckwheat in the form of crispies and flour.

Prof. Ivan Kreft, biotechnologist and buckwheat expert, explains: "Tartary Buckwheat has, along with common buckwheat, an excellent amino acid composition, high quality starches and is rich in dietary fibre and trace elements. But in comparison to common buckwheat, it contains a 100-fold higher level of rutin, a valuable flavonoid antioxidant."

Formed by many plants as protection against UV radiation, rutin is thought to have positive effects on blood glucose levels and blood pressure. With its high concentrations of this secondary plant substance and the trace element zinc, RutinX supports carbohydrate metabolism in the body. Depending on the dosage, RutinX enables health claims. As a functional ingredient, it can be used in various applications, such as bread, rolls and fine bakery, snacks and muesli.

Excellent taste and easy processing
Because of its high rutin content, Tartary Buckwheat has a strong, bitter taste. For this reason, GoodMills Innovation has developed a patented fermentation process that significantly reduces the bitter substances and, at the same time, improves the bioavailability of the ingredients.

To create novel formulations with Tartary Buckwheat, GoodMills Innovation's product development team recommends adding approximately 5% of the ingredient to the recipe and adjusting the amount of liquid accordingly. Its mild taste profile means that, depending on the dosage and other ingredients, it is possible to eliminate or – when required – retain a slight buckwheat taste.

From forgotten filler to functional food
Common buckwheat was regarded as a basic ingredient for baked goods, pancakes and porridge, until it fell out of favour. Prof. Kreft explains: "Tartary Buckwheat has a bitter taste. Thus, in previous centuries it was popular only in few regions in Europe, as a food for emergency situations to mitigate famine. With the spread of high yielding wheat and potato varieties, as well as fodder crops, it disappeared from fields."

Thanks to GoodMills Innovation, however, it is now easy for baking companies to integrate the valuable ingredient into various ancient grain concepts.