Canadian International Grains Institute
The Canadian International Grains Institute (Cigi) is a not-for-profit institute providing pre-market and in-market technical support for the Canadian grain sector. Established in 1972, Cigi has more than 45 years of experience working with the grain industry value chain in Canada and internationally. Cigi has several technical areas that include lab-scale and small-scale commercial processing equipment, as well as an analytical laboratory.
Cigi’s technical areas include:
- Analytical laboratory – Conducts analytical and rheological tests on wheat, flour, semolina, pulses and special crops using a wide range of equipment commonly used in quality control labs in commercial operations, such as flour mills. Protein assessment focuses on both quantity and quality as it relates to end-product quality.
- Asian products – Experience in producing various types of Asian noodles, steamed breads, dumplings and other products.
- Bakery – The pilot bakery provides an ability to simulate processes found in bakeries throughout the world to produce pan bread and other baked goods, including flat breads, hearth breads, buns and bagels, while the test bakery focuses on small-scale baking.
- Milling – Pilot and lab-scale roller mills for the production of flour from wheat, pulses and other field crops
- Pasta and Extrusion – Ability to produce traditional pasta using various drying conditions, as well as a twin-screw extruder for the production of various extruded products (e.g, snack foods, breakfast cereals)
- Pulse Processing and Specialty Milling – Various equipment to dehull, split, mill and/or dry fractionate pulses or other special crops.
Cigi’s mission is to become the trusted independent source for milling, quality and end-use functionality expertise for millers and end users of Canadian grain to increase market opportunities and end-user success. Staff in Cigi’s technology areas have developed extensive knowledge and expertise working with wheat and pulses, as well other specialty crops. Cigi’s work on pulses has examined how pulse ingredients can be incorporated into various baked products, Asian noodles, pasta and extruded products in blends with wheat to ensure suitable end-product quality and/or improved nutritional content, such as increased protein. Cigi collaborates with industry, growers, government, universities and private food companies to provide support on our technical areas of focus.
