A grain typically known for its use in bird feed could be appearing more in breads, cookies, and pastas. This week Health Canada and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave stamps of approval to canary seed, meaning the grain can now be commercially sold for human consumption.

While Manitoba's annual canary seed production fluctuates with world prices, Manitoba Agriculture's website says the province's climate is well-suited to canary seed.

"In order to really get this industry moving, we've got to open up into new markets," says David Nobbs, chair of the Canaryseed Development Commission (CSDC) of Saskatchewan. "We've got to look for new opportunities. That started in 2006 or even earlier, and today we're able to push forward into these human food markets in Canada and the U.S."

Nobbs says this will take some time, as right now the food use approval is for dehulled canary seed, so the industry to dehull the grain needs to be developed.

Canary seed can be processed into flour, can be used to make a variety of baked goods, while whole seeds could even be used in things like nutritional bars, according to the CSDC. The grain is technically gluten-free and high in protein — two qualities which will make it very important in food products, according to Dr. Carol Ann Patterson of Pathfinders Research and Management.

"It's got to be one of the highest cereal crops we grow that have 20 per cent protein — so it ranks right up there with pulses," she says, "so as a protein source, it's going to be ideal to go into gluten-free foods because right now a lot of gluten-free foods, they're lacking in nutrition, and so canary seed will hopefully supplement some of that nutrient composition for gluten-free foods."

But while canary seed is considered gluten-free, the CSDC says there is a protein in the seed that may cause a reaction for people who have wheat allergies, and food containing canary seed will be labeling accordingly.