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An introduction to value chain management of traditional grains – from farm to table

This online training explains the challenge of hidden hunger and how to adopt the best available practices for producing nutritive, tasty and affordable whole grain-based food products. The training equips small and medium-sized food processing companies with knowledge and skills to use hydrothermal processing of traditional varieties of whole grains, an approach that increases the bioavailability of micronutrients inside the grains and enables their easy absorption.

Training structure

The training consists of two modules with sections including explanatory short videos and reading material, a worksheet and a Q&A.

Module 1 explains hidden hunger and how hydrothermal processing of whole grains can promote micronutrient bioavailability in processed food products. You will learn how selecting, combining and treating traditional varieties of locally available whole grains can contribute to improve the final nutritive content of your food products.

Module 2 provides quick tips and best practices for handling grains from farm to factory. You will learn how to engage with farmers to secure the supply of your raw material and examples of technology needed to bioprocess your food products.

This worksheet is developed to help you make practical use of your learnings from the training and implement it into your work. We suggest you use and fill in the worksheet whilst going through the training material.

Q&A. Submit your questions to ana.p.aponte@inclusivebusiness.se

Who is it for?

This main target group of the training is food companies already processing or considering to process whole grains to produce nutritive and affordable food products.

About the organisers

This training is a collaboration between Stawi Foods and Fruits and the SIANI Expert Group consisting of Inclusive Business Sweden, Hidden in Grains and BioInnovate Africa.

Module 1: Hydrothermal processing to promote micronutrient bioavailability in processed food products

This Module 1 explains hidden hunger and how hydrothermal processing of whole grains can promote micronutrient bioavailability in processed food products. You will learn how selecting, combining and treating traditional varieties of locally available whole grains can contribute to improve the final nutritive content of your food products.

Module 1 includes the sections:

  • 1.1 Understanding Hidden Hunger
    • What is Hidden Hunger?
    • Main causes of Hidden Hunger
    • How Hidden Hunger affects people’s Health and Society
  • 1.2 Biofortification of wholegrains – Enriched by Nature
    • Biofortification methods
    • Alternatives for Bioprocessing
  • 1.3 Introduction to nutritive food product development
    • Selecting raw materials (whole ancient grains)
    • Enhancing micronutrients’ bioavailability
    • Communicating to consumers
  • 1.4 Introduction to hydrothermal processes
    • Reducing phytates to increase bioavailability
    • What is a hydrothermal process?

The reading material and explanatory video of each section is available below.

Use this worksheet to put your learnings into practice and adapt them to your own work.

1.1 Understanding Hidden Hunger

What is Hidden Hunger?

Reading material

Main causes of Hidden Hunger

Reading material

How Hidden Hunger affects people’s Health and Society

Reading material

Use this worksheet to put your learnings into practice and adapt them to your own work.

1.2 Biofortification of wholegrains - Enriched by Nature

Biofortification methods

Reading material

Alternatives for Bioprocessing 

Reading material

Use this worksheet to put your learnings into practice and adapt them to your own work.

1.3 Introduction to nutritive food product development

Selecting raw materials (whole ancient grains)

Reading material

Enhancing micronutrients’ bioavailability

Reading material

Communicate to consumers

Reading material

Use this worksheet to put your learnings into practice and adapt them to your own work.

1.4 Introduction to hydrothermal processes

Reducing phytates to increase bioavailability

Reading material

What is a hydrothermal process?

Reading material

Use this worksheet to put your learnings into practice and adapt them to your own work.

Module 2: Best practices for handling grains, from farm to factory

This Module 2 provides quick tips and best practices for handling grains from farm to factory. You will learn how to engage with farmers to secure the supply of your raw material and examples of technology needed to bioprocess your food products.

Module 2 includes the sections:

  • 2.1 How food processing companies can contribute to increased incomes for farmers
    • Why contribute to increased incomes for farmers?
    • How to engage in a win-win situation with farmers?
  • 2.2 Best practices to handle traditional grains from farm to factory
    • Food safety
    • Logistics
    • Climate smart practices
    • Costs
  • 2.3 Best practices to handle traditional grains at factory level
    • Human resource requirements for a grain processor
    • Processing equipment and regulations
    • The safe food handler

The reading material and explanatory video of each section is available below.

Use this worksheet to put your learnings into practice and adapt them to your own work.

2.1 How food companies can contribute to increased incomes for farmers

Why contribute to increased incomes for farmers?

Reading material

How to engage in a win-win situation with farmers?

Reading material

Use this worksheet to put your learnings into practice and adapt them to your own work.

2.2 Best practices to handle traditional grains from farm to factory

Food safety

Reading material

Logistics

Reading material

Climate smart practices

Reading material

Costs

Reading material

Use this worksheet to put your learnings into practice and adapt them to your own work.

2.3 Best practices to handle traditional grains at factory level

Human resource requirements for a grain processor

Reading material

Processing equipment and regulations

Reading material

The safe food handler

Reading material

Use this worksheet to put your learnings into practice and adapt them to your own work.

Q&A

Submit your questions to ana.p.aponte@inclusivebusiness.se before May 17, 2021.

We will consolidate and answer your questions as soon as possible. All questions and answers will also be (anonymously) available on this training page after May 17, 2021.