Reading Time: 2 minutes Winnipeg/Rome | Reuters — Italy has this week formally asked the European Commission to allow it to require country-of-origin labels on pasta sold there, raising alarms for Canadian durum wheat exporters who fear the move will dampen sales. Italian Agriculture Minister Maurizio Martina said on Twitter on Monday that Italy had sent a decree to […] Read more
As Italy seeks pasta labels, Canada worries about durum sales
Dining firm Imvescor to shed veggie meals business
Reading Time: 2 minutes The Montreal parent firm for the Pizza Delight, Baton Rouge, Toujours Mikes and Scores restaurant chains is stepping out of the prepared meals business. Imvescor Restaurant Group announced Tuesday it has reached a deal to sell its Groupe Commensal subsidiary to Montreal processor Pasta Romana Foods for about $4.2 million. Commensal markets vegetarian refrigerated and […] Read more
Italy’s pasta labeling plan raises Canadian concerns
Reading Time: 2 minutes Winnipeg/Rome | Reuters — Canada has raised concerns with Rome about Italy’s plan to require country-of-origin labels on pasta sold there, Canada’s agriculture minister said on Wednesday about a move that is alarming Canadian wheat exporters just as a free trade deal gained European approval. Rome sent a draft decree to the European Commission in […] Read more
Adding nutritional punch to instant noodles
The go-to quick meal for university students could be improved with Prairie peas
Reading Time: 3 minutes Quick, easy and tasty, but a bit too high in fat and salt and a bit low in nutrition. Ever-popular instant noodles could be improved, based on results of Canadian International Grains Institute research focused on developing new uses for Canadian pulses. Since 2014 Cigi has been conducting a four-year project funded by Pulse Canada […] Read more
Durum marketing 101
Durum is grown in a few distinct regions of the world, and problems in just one can mean a sharp change in prices
Reading Time: 4 minutes If you’re selling bread wheat — Triticum aestivum — there’s a new price signal literally every second as it’s traded on futures markets. If you’re selling its cousin T. durum, finding a fair value is another matter. There’s no viable futures market for durum wheat, and there can be days or even weeks between trades […] Read more
Boosting nutrition in gluten-free foods
Peas, beans and lentils provide a healthy option to corn starch and rice flour
Reading Time: 3 minutes The Canadian International Grains Institute has been investigating the use of pulse ingredients as a way to improve nutrition in commercial gluten-free food products, and to add value to Canadian pulse crops. Currently halfway through its four-year project called “Development of Gluten-Free Products Using Pulse Ingredients,” Cigi has incorporated pulses in tortillas, pan breads and […] Read more
Promoting Canadian wheat in Latin America
Customers in Peru and Chile like the quality of CWRS, and are interested in more CPSR
Reading Time: 3 minutes For several years Latin American customers of Canadian wheat and durum have met with technical staff from the Canadian International Grains Institute to learn about analytical techniques and processes to evaluate wheat and flour quality. Most recently representatives from Cigi’s baking, milling and analytical services areas spent time in Chile and Peru. While in Chile, […] Read more
Durum at a standstill despite fresh numbers from StatsCan
Reading Time: < 1 minute CNS Canada — Even fresh domestic production numbers aren’t able to move Canada’s durum prices, one analyst says, as the market stays stagnant on lacklustre processing demand from North Africa and Europe. “I think the trade was anticipating this number for a long time,” said Jerry Klassen, manager of the Canadian office for Swiss-based GAP […] Read more
Canada’s durum wheat and the couscous factor
Canada’s durum meets the high quality requirements of its biggest market
Reading Time: 3 minutes Although durum wheat is synonymous with pasta as an end product, Canada’s biggest durum-importing region actually uses a significant percentage of its imports for couscous. “North Africa is different from the rest of the world with respect to the use of durum because a lot of it is used for couscous, whereas when the rest […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
