Incorporating BlackGrain in vegetable applications has proven complicated until now with Finnish food industry company Apetit going into small scale production of its rapeseed-based plant protein, “BlackGrain in Yellow Fields”.

Featuring the elusive BlackGrain ingredient, Apetit’s first product launch is high-fiber, gluten and soy-free mini veggie balls for use in the foodservice industry.

“Mini-veggie balls is a vegan product, made from pea protein and our very own BlackGrain. They work well as a protein in salad buffets or as a meatball substitute in pasta sauce,” says Hanna Pere, Apetit’s product category manager.

Oil pressing side stream put to use
BlackGrain is made in Finland from oilseed cake, a significant side stream of Apetit’s oil pressing. 

Before the development of BlackGrain, oilseed cake was used simply as raw material for animal fodder. BlackGrain received novel food authorization from the European Commission in February 2021. 

Apetit developed the idea because it wanted to use an existing raw material in a new product with a higher added value.BlackGrain received novel food authorization from the European Commission.

“Rapeseed-based oilseed cake has excellent nutritional values. By refining that raw material into BlackGrain, we offer a new and easily applicable, Finnish-made plant protein to the food industry,” explains Jenny Tallberg, Avena Nordic Grain’s business development manager.

Small scale production allows the company to supply BlackGrain for customer samples, testing and sales.

Circular thinking behind veggie balls
BlackGrain is a cradle-to-cradle product and in line with circular economy strategies because it has been developed from an existing raw material. 

“We’ve discovered great applications for BlackGrain in several product categories, and our clients will be testing it in a variety of different products, such as gluten-free bread, snack products and  bars, cereal and plant-protein products,” Tallberg says.

BlackGrain is suitable for a variety of diets making it ideal for application in veggie balls. It contains high amounts of fiber, protein and omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids.

Fatty acids are abundant in daily diets and consumers are searching for more accessible ways to achieve holistic health. However, the rise of lesser-known fatty acid ingredients creates new applications beyond heart health, such as sports nutrition and immunity.