Glanbia Nutritionals Develops Gluten-Free Oats With High Traceability and Purity

03 Oct 2014 --- Ingredient innovator Glanbia Nutritionals announces a major breakthrough in gluten-free purity with the launch of OatPure gluten-free oats. Certified at max 10 parts per million (ppm) gluten to exceed industry standards, OatPure oats are developed at Glanbia’s new state-of-the-art food grade milling facility in Portlaoise, Ireland, guaranteeing gluten-free oat traceability and purity.

Current labelling guidelines state that only oats that test at 20 ppm or under can be labelled gluten-free to comply with the EU 828/2014 standard, which stipulates how oats must be specially produced, prepared and processed to avoid contamination by wheat and other gluten containing grains. Because Glanbia Nutritionals’ OatPure gluten-free oats are independently certified to max 10ppm gluten, they far exceed the industry standard, giving manufacturers complete confidence in a gluten-free ingredient statement.

Thanks to Glanbia’s full ownership of the NSF certified OatSecure closed loop supply chain process, the plant is unique in processing only oat ingredients to guarantee a certified gluten-free product. This rigorously validated process offers an exceptionally high level of protection. The newly commissioned oat processing facility operates to Grade A BRC accreditation.

Glanbia’s agronomists work closely with a select team of 20 Glanbia co-operative farmers to initiate the controlled process at seed selection stage, using dedicated gluten-free equipment throughout the OatSecure protected supply chain system. Once the GPS monitored land is prepared for planting, the team supervises the specialist crop from planting through to sampling and storage to ensure full seed traceability. The oats are examined at all growth stages to optimise rotation, minimise the risk of cross-contamination and ensure the highest quality of pure oats for harvest.

At the milling facility, trained Glanbia Agrifood personnel implement an audited labelling and tracking process with guaranteed gluten-free equipment to deliver a fully traceable end product. During processing, the OatPure gluten-free oats are heat treated for optimum food safety and stability, before being dried, stored and milled in dedicated gluten-free facilities.

Suitable for a wide range of baked goods and snack products, OatPure gluten-free oats are ideal for bread, cookies, granola bars and on-the-go nutrition. By offering beneficial properties such as fibre, protein and ALA omega-3s, OatPure gluten-free oats can enhance the texture and health profile of these products. Glanbia Nutritionals is also uniquely positioned to combine both gluten-free oats and specialist whey proteins to offer exciting and functional food ingredient solutions for fortified, natural beverage, dairy and infant food applications.

“The gluten-free market is expanding rapidly and, as such, offers great potential as we see consumers opting for gluten-free choices in pursuit of a healthy diet. We believe our OatPure gluten-free oats are the purest on the market today, which is testament to our commitment to research and setting the highest standard in regulatory compliance,” says Carla Clissmann, EMEA regional director at Glanbia Nutritionals.

Glanbia Agrifood quality manager Larry McDonald continues: “In Ireland, the oats enjoy ideal growing conditions – temperate winters and a damp, cool climate through spring and summer. This longer growing season results in a fuller finished grain that gives Irish gluten-free oats their distinctive taste. Our rigorous gluten-free system – which enables us to follow the crop throughout the entire production process – together with our secure, carefully monitored OatSecure supply chain assures a pure end product. With this proven provenance, our OatPure gluten-free oats guarantee traceability, quality and food safety, enabling us to deliver gluten-free oats with complete confidence.”

Glanbia Nutritionals’ expert knowledge and experience in speciality grains and seeds, combined with the company’s heritage in unlocking the functional and nutritional potential of natural ingredients, gives customers access to a leading edge ingredient portfolio. The company’s OatPure gluten-free oats will be available to customers in Europe from November 2014.