The governments of Canada and Manitoba are investing $270,000 in a pilot project to increase the use of pulse flours in the commercial bread-making industry.

Federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay and Manitoba Agriculture Minister Ralph Eichler announced the move Wednesday, which will create new opportunities to expand markets and value-added processing.

"Canada is a world leader in pulse production and the Government of Canada is proud to support the ongoing research that contributes to this success," said MacAulay. "Funding research to find new and innovative uses for pulse crops contributes to economic prosperity for farmers, while meeting the needs of today's health conscious consumers, here and around the globe."

Funding for this two-year project is provided through the Grain Innovation Hub, which was announced by the Canada and Manitoba governments in May 2014.

"Consumers are looking for healthier, more nutritious foods that taste great, and Manitoba-grown pulses can help meet this demand," said Eichler. "This research project is exciting because it will help identify new markets and opportunities for pulse growers, adding value to crops grown here at home."

It will be used to purchase and install specialized equipment, including a fermentation tank, at the Canadian International Grains Institute (Cigi) in Winnipeg.

Warburtons, the largest bakery brand in the United Kingdom, and Cigi will use this equipment to research pulse-based bakery products including bread.