MANITOBA-LATIN AMERICAN PARTNERSHIP TO DEVELOP HEALTHY CEREAL FOODS TO
ADDRESS CHRONIC DISEASES

WINNIPEG, Aug. 26 /CNW/ - The Manitoba Agri-Health Research Network Inc (MAHRN) and Granotec, a leading cereal technology company in Latin America, have formed a company to advance the research, development and commercialization of healthy foods and food ingredients from cereals including oats and wheat.  The "Consorcio de Cereales Funcionales S.A" or "Functional Cereal Consortium" is based in Santiago Chile and will take a leading role in providing foods and food ingredients to help address chronic life-style related diseases including cardiovascular disease, obesity and Type II diabetes affecting the Chilean population.  While the company will initially focus on Chile, it is expected to expand its efforts to other areas of Latin America.

"It is the unfortunate reality that the so-called life style related diseases that plague North Americans are also a major concern in other countries including Chile," according to Lee Anne Murphy, Executive Director of MAHRN.  "We share with Granotec a commitment to have food be part of the solution, rather than demonized as the root cause of many of these illnesses," she says.  Murphy adds that the initial US$2 million dollar project of the company is focused on developing healthy ingredients for bread.  According to Agriculture and Agrifood Canada (2009), Chileans are the second largest consumers of bread in the world.

Manitoba Agri-Health Research Network Inc (MAHRN) promotes Manitoba's capacity and capabilities in the research, development and commercialization of functional foods and nutraceuticals. Anchored by world-class facilities including Canadian Centre for Agri-Food Research in Health and Medicine (CCARM); Richardson Centre for Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals (RCFFN) and Food Development Centre (FDC), Manitoba is a 'one-stop shop' for the testing and assessment of plant and animal-based bioactive compounds, from the producer through clinical proof of safety and efficacy to product development and commercialization. For more information, please visit www.mahrn.ca

Based in Chile, The Granotec Group (www.granotec.com) is one of the leading Latin American suppliers of food industry ingredients. The business model concept of Granotec includes technology transfer, nutrient and ingredients, analytical and quality assurance systems services from offices across South, Central  and North America. They are also focused on providing solutions for nutrition and biotechnology, as support to the food industry with emphasis on healthy food.

For further information:

Contact (MAHRN):

Lee Anne Murphy, PhD
Executive Director
[email protected]
[phone]

Contact (Granotec):

Miguel A Gonzalez O
President, Grupo Granotec
[email protected]
(56 2) 740 0123