SCIENTISTS IN WINNIPEG ARE TRYING TO MAKE BREAD OUT OF PEAS.

More protein, fewer carbs and no gluten

At a laboratory in downtown Winnipeg, scientists are trying to revive the fortunes of the bread industry — with peas.

“The biggest challenge is the flavour,” because pea bread tends to taste too much like, well, peas, said Yulia Borsuk, a technical specialist in baking technology at the Canadian International Grains Institute lab.

With more people looking for healthier alternatives to carbohydrate-rich foods made from wheat, Canadian researchers are working with Warburtons Ltd., the U.K.’s largest bakery brand. They are developing dough from pea flour that produces bread that looks and tastes almost like any other loaf, but which also has more protein and less of the carbs and gluten that more consumers are trying to avoid.

Substituting pulses — a group of high-protein, lowfat dried seeds that are part of the legume family — for wheat could help revive stagnant sales in a global bakedgoods market valued at more than US$400 billion. Some shoppers are swapping carb and sugar-laden goodies like pastries and cakes for items with more protein. Those on the Paleolithic Diet ditch grains and sugar entirely and eat only whole, unprocessed foods that were available during the Stone Age.

“People are going to caveman diets, and protein is always a big part of that,” said Adam Dyck, a Canadianbased spokesman for Warburtons, which is headquartered in Bolton, England. “You go talk to any major food company right now and protein is on their radar.”

Test loaves are being made at the Winnipeg lab because Canada is the world’s largest exporter of peas and lentils traditionally used in soups and curries. But the crops also can be made into fibre, flour starch and protein concentrates that are making their way into packaged foods.

Canada’s lentil output is expected to rise eight per cent in 2017-18 to a record 3.5 million tons, the agriculture ministry said in a February report.

Production of dry peas will probably fall 12 per cent to 4.3 million tons due to a return to average yields, according to the report.

“Protein is the seller,” said Ashok Sarkar, senior adviser of technology at the grains institute.

“That’s the biggest draw, and there are many side benefits, like fibre, minerals, micronutrients.”

While peas are a long way from competing with wheat — the dominant grain for baked goods — the commodity is finding its way into more products. Minneapolisbased General Mills Inc. uses pea protein in its Larabar snack bar, while Nabisco Holdings Corp. uses red beans in a variety of Triscuits brown rice crackers.