The Canadian International Grains Institute (CIGI) is nearing the end of the second year of a five-year durum and pulse project in Morocco.

Heather Maskus, CIGI's project manager for pulse flour milling and food applications, says the project has focused on milling and analyzing durum and pulse products.

"The pulse component is really focused around developing knowledge and information about the benefits of pulse for nutrition and health and also for soil quality and agronomic characteristics," she says, "and then also this really exciting piece about product development using pulse ingredients, too."

She says they've received a positive response from Moroccans so far.

"I think what we're seeing in Morocco is that people are understanding that there's a lot of nutrition and health issues with eating processed foods that are high in calories and sugar and fat, and they understand that pulses are a really healthy component of food. It's part of their tradition and their history, and they understand how there's so much value in now incorporating this traditional ingredient into modern and convenient food products," she says."

Maskus says typically pulse flour can be sticky in formulation, and while the end products may have different quality characteristics than wheat flour, it's still acceptable for consumers.