The Magic and Challenges of Sprouted Grains

Grains, seeds, and pulses are important sources of energy in the human diet. In response to consumer demands for healthy, natural, and naturally processed foods, interest in sprouted grains has increased over the last decade, as demonstrated by the increasing number of sprouted grain products being launched every year. In this article, we discuss some of the reasons for the growing consumer interest in sprouted grains and h ow food manufacturers can take advantage o f the healthy halo that surrounds these grains. Although there are regulatory challenges in communicating the nutritional and health benefits associated with sprouted grains to consumers, there are other qualities that differentiate sprouted from nonsprouted grains that can be used to promote the consumption o f sprouted grains, m o st notably their unique flavor profiles.