Project "Innovative approach to hull-less spring cereals and triticale use from human health perspective" (NFI/R/2014/11) meeting in Priekuli

The aim of the seminar was to get acquainted with progress of research performed in all partner institutions and to develop further work plan. Seminar agenda was as follows.

1. General information on the project, expected results and implementation progress. Scientific leader of the Project, leading researcher, Dr.sc.ing. Evita Straumite
2. Research on cereals and field trials in Latvia. Leader of Work package No. 1 (WP1), leading researcher, Dr.agr. Arta Kronberga
3. Research on cereals and field trials in Norway. NiBio representative in Work package No. 1 (WP1), Dr. Ievina Sturite
4. Development of germinated cereal flakes production technology. Leader of Work package No. 2 (WP2), leading researcher, Dr.sc.ing. Tatjana Rakcejeva
5. Quality evaluation of breakfast cereals. Leader of Work package No. 3 (WP3), leading researcher, Dr.sc.ing. Dace Klava
6. Methodology for clinical trials. Leader of Work package No. 4 (WP4), leading researcher, Dr. Laila Meija
7. Discussions and research planning.

Totally 11 attendees in person from all partner institutions - Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, Riga Stradins University, State Priekuli Plant Breeding Institute and one person from NiBiO (Norway) via Skype took part in this event. 

Scientific leader Evita Straumite informed about general aims, objectives and progress of the project implementation. Special attention was paid to publications and presentations of the research results in scientific congresses and meetings. Until now results are presented in conference „Grains for the Feeding the Word”, which was held in Milan, Italy. Evita Straumite participated in this event and presented results on rheological properties of triticale. In the following months results will be presented in 3 more conferences in Spain, Croatia, and the Netherlands.

Results of the first work package were presented both by the WP leader Arta Kronberga and NiBio representative Ievina Sturite. For the study cereal types and varieties were chosen based on different quality indicators and were grown in 4 places - State Priekuli Plant Breeding Institute, Stende Cereals Breeding Institute, and NIBio research fields in Apelsvoll (120 km from Oslo) and Trondheim area.

Within the study both spring (barley, oats) and winter (wheat, triticale, rye) cereals were grown using organic and conventional farming methods. For the improvement of scientific collaboration, comparison of the methodology, analysis of the results State Priekuli Plant Breeding Institute representatives visited Norway in July and got introduced with the experience of Norwegian scientists.

Ievina Sturite gave detailed explanation on the research performed in Norway, and the first results of the study that shows tendency - Latvian varieties adapts well to Norwegian weather conditions.

Tatjana Rakcejeva presented results obtained in the second work package. For establishing the optimum activation parameters for obtaining high-quality products, detailed work plan has been developed. Preliminary study describes starch and sugar dynamics during germination process, allowing choosing the optimum time and temperature.

The third work package leader Dace Klava presented planned analyses of the final products and evaluation of their changes during storage, emphasizing the most important chemical, physical and sensory characteristics.

The fourth work package leader Laila Meija described the general healthy eating guidelines, paying attention to the recent food pyramid that is generally based on fruits and vegetables, and it is important to consume carbohydrates that does not raise blood sugar level too quickly, but is released steadily. Therefore it is essential to determine glycemic index of developed products. Work Package participants have developed a clinical study design to determine the glycemic index of the cereal flakes and currently the selection of clinical experiment participants has been carried out.

After presentations, there were discussions about the methodology for selection of the best cereal variety for flake production, taking into account both nutritional and technological aspects.

Overall, the seminar gave opportunity to all participants to introduce with the work performed in all work packages, get new knowledge's that helps to implement project successfully.