Lupin Enriched Cereal Has "Huge Worldwide Potential"

Professor Vijay Jayasena of Curtin’s School of Public Health said the breakfast cereal addresses many of the health benefits today’s consumers are looking for. “The Super Lupin breakfast cereal is gluten free, high in dietary fibre, high in protein, low in fat, contains no cholesterol and is low GI, meaning people will feel full for some time and avoid snacking,” said Professor Jayasena.

3 Jul 2012 --- Curtin University food science and technology researchers have teamed up with a local WA manufacturer to produce the world’s first high lupin content breakfast cereal.

Professor Vijay Jayasena of Curtin’s School of Public Health said the breakfast cereal addresses many of the health benefits today’s consumers are looking for.

“The Super Lupin breakfast cereal is gluten free, high in dietary fibre, high in protein, low in fat, contains no cholesterol and is low GI, meaning people will feel full for some time and avoid snacking,” said Professor Jayasena.

“The health benefits associated with lupins are tremendous, and we are very excited to finally have a mainstream product available in WA stores.”

While other breakfast cereals in the market contain lupins, they usually only make up three to five per cent of the product, yet still claim the full range of health benefits. However, it is very unlikely the consumer will benefit from this small amount of lupin.

“To really reap the full health benefits a food product should contain at least 20 per cent of lupin,” said Professor Jayasena.

“At 30 per cent lupin content, our new breakfast cereal can legitimately claim the full range of lupin’s health benefits.”

Super Lupin is produced by Lupin Nutrition Food and available in five varieties; plain, blueberry, blueberry with fruit and nuts, tropical, and soon, banana.

“It has taken two years to develop the product, in collaboration with a local food producer that has the same aspirations for the product as we do,” said Professor Jayasena.

“Super Lupin is available in Australia, but the product also has huge potential in Asia, the Middle East and the US.”

The lupins contained in the “Super Lupin Cereal” are sourced locally as Western Australia produces around 70 per cent of the total lupin production in the world.

Traditionally lupins have been considered a low value feed grain. However, this opinion is now being challenged as more nutrition experts promote their health benefits. Independent studies by various researchers in Australia and overseas have shown that the consumption of lupin enriched foods reduces obesity, reduces the risk of type II diabetes, lowers blood cholesterol, improves bowel health and lowers hypertension.

“Lupins are now being seen as a viable grain to use in many mainstream food products. Within the next few months the interest in lupin-based products will boom as healthier snacks, such as lupin chips and flat breads come onto the market,” said Professor Jayasena.

“Soon we will wonder why lupins ever lost popularity. Ancient Egyptians used lupins as a food crop for people and animals and also included it in medicine and cosmetic recipes.

“Yet again, the Ancient Egyptians have proven their early wisdom has value in modern times.”

Source: Curtin's School of Public Health