Technical Support
Cereals Canada is a trusted independent source of technical support to customers and others in the cereals value chain. Our staff have expertise in milling, analytical testing and end-use functionality. Our technical experts support the value chain and customers of Canadian cereal grains.
At Cereals Canada, we generate and analyze data that directly supports end-users in understanding the benefits of Canadian cereals and in making high-quality end-products. We also investigate and resolve milling and product quality issues that are identified by industry and customers.
We are committed to supporting agricultural research by optimizing the use of Canadian cereals in end-products domestically and around the world.
Expertise in Analytical Testing, Milling, and End-product Functionality
Cereals Canada provides customized programs, training and targeted technical support to customers of Canadian cereals. These efforts ensure that customers understand the quality characteristics that are unique to Canadian cereals and how to optimize their performance in milling and end-product processing.
We work with our members and representatives from the cereals value chain to provide in-market technical support activities as well as training at our Cereals Canada facilities. Domestic programs, such as Combine to Customer, provide insight into what global customers are looking for when purchasing Canadian cereals.
Our Technical Areas
Cereals Canada supports our members and others in the cereals value chain with six technical laboratories located in our downtown Winnipeg headquarters, including a pilot mill, an analytical lab, end-products areas (baking, pasta, Asian products), and a specialty milling facility.
There is no other place in Canada that is equipped and staffed with the experts to do this type of testing, all under one roof.
Flour & Semolina Milling
Cereals Canada is equipped with various mills that are used to evaluate the milling characteristics of Canadian wheat, and to supply flour and semolina to the analytical and end-product teams for testing and assessment.
Three mills at Cereals Canada (micro, laboratory, and pilot) are used to demonstrate to customers how Canadian wheat can be processed into a variety of flour or semolina products that are used around the world. The pilot mill can produce flour or semolina that is similar in quality to a commercial mill and can be also adjusted to replicate milling conditions in warmer, more humid climates.
Analytical Services
The analytical laboratory at Cereals Canada is similar to quality control facilities found in commercial flour mills. The lab contains a wide range of equipment to support both commercial and research needs by generating results relevant to users of Canadian cereals in milling and end-product (baking, pasta, Asian products) processing, as well as researchers and plant breeders.
Our laboratory is a technical resource for the Canadian cereals industry and has been recognized for its excellence. Our staff actively engage in training, specialized programs, hands-on demonstrations, fee-for-service testing, customer assistance, and applied research.
End-products: Baking
The baking facilities are equipped with lab and pilot scale processing equipment which allow the technical team to evaluate flour baking performance in pan bread and other baked products. Equipment in the test bakery can accommodate analyses of small sample sizes.
The pilot bakery has a variety of commercial-grade equipment that is used to showcase Canadian flour in products and processes customers are familiar with, and that are relevant to their markets. This allows the bakery team to showcase the applicability of Canadian cereals and highlight why high-quality flour produces high-quality baked products.
End-products: Pasta & Asian Products
The pasta area has both lab and pilot scale equipment and the capacity to produce short and long pasta. This provides flexibility as it can work with small or large sample sizes and mimic commercial production. Multiple tests are used to assess end-product quality.
Asian noodles and steamed breads have specific end-quality attributes that varies by region throughout Asia. Processing and evaluating different types of noodles, as well as steamed breads, provides the knowledge to inform customers on the benefits of using Canadian wheat in these products. The pilot-scale noodle line at Cereals Canada is unique to the facility.
Specialty Milling
The specialty milling facility is equipped to process oats, pulses, and other grains. Pilot scale dehulling and splitting equipment allows for the processing of large quantities of grains with maximum efficiency, whereas laboratory-scale equipment is used to process small quantities for research purposes.
Specialty mills, including hammer, pin, stone, and knife mills, and fractionation equipment are used to further process various grains into flours and fractions.
