Now new rural research being spearheaded in Wagga could see people consuming breakfast flakes made from pulse crops. Chickpeas could possibly replace, or even complement, a classic bowl of cornflakes. 

Or the flakes could be made into energy bars and and be consumed alongside a staple like puffed rice. 

Charles Sturt University (CSU) PhD candidate Stephen Cork is working with the Australian Research Council (ARC) Industrial Transformation Training Centre for Functional Grains to assess the merit of pulse flakes.

Mr Cork said many Australians did not meet the recommended dietary intake of one to three serves of pulses a week.  

“The low consumption has been attributed to the time and effort required to prepare them, which typically involves soaking and boiling,” he said. 

“My research is focused on understanding how processing technologies can support new product development, in particular for incorporating pulses into ready to eat breakfast foods, a market worth $33 billion globally.”

Working with Woods Foods, in southern Queensland, and Uncle Tobys, Mr Cork’s work aims to better understand the factors needed to turn chickpeas into flakes.

“The different chemical compositions of cereals and pulses means that there’s a need for research into how to apply a processing methods like flaking to pulses,” Mr Cork said.

“My research is examining how pre-treatment, flake formation and secondary processing impacts the behaviour and quality of the product.

“It’s hoped the development of new products will diversify markets for Australian pulse producers to support further growth of the industry.”

Mr Cork presented his research at the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) Update in Wagga earlier this month.

He said the work was timely given the adoption of pulse crops in southern NSW as a rotational crop. 

Mr Cork said more people were looking at including chickpeas and faba beans in the cropping cycle.