Youtiao – a type of fried bread stick popular all across Asia – could represent an opportunity to get healthy Australian whole grain wheat in the diets of health-conscious Asian consumers.
Food lovers throughout Asia are becoming more and more interested in whole grain foods and their many health benefits, and flour millers are starting to look at which types of wheat might be best for whole grain products.
AEGIC has already proved that bright Australian white wheat has clear advantages for whole grain products in colour and flavour.
Now AEGIC’s experts are researching the best approaches of incorporating Australian whole grain flour into popular Asian products so that millers understand the value and are more likely to use Aussie wheat.
One potential product is known in China as “youtiao”, a type of fried bread stick often eaten for breakfast with congee or soy milk.
Similar products are hugely popular across Asia and are known by a variety of names.
If Australian whole grain wheat could be successfully incorporated into youtiao, this would be a new market for growers.
AEGIC is also researching whole grain instant noodles…
and whole grain steamed buns.
There are some challenges to be ironed out. As you might expect, using whole grain flour does affect the colour, texture and volume of wheat products.
But if we can demonstrate that it can be done, this could be a great opportunity for Australian wheat growers. By 2030, whole grain products could be 10% of the bread market in Asia, a potential 1mmt market worth $360m in total.
