ReBIOscover – Rediscovery of regional cereal landraces for the sustainable production of organic food specialities

Landraces are traditional plant populations that have undergone little or no breeding and are usually genetically heterogeneous. They are particularly well adapted to the natural and cultural agricultural environment of their region. An exemplary success story for the use of landraces for organic food specialties is that of the Laufener Landweizen, which was rediscovered about twenty years ago and is now very popular in the Salzburg – Berchtesgadener Land – Traunstein region.

Sales of organically produced food continue to be a growth market in Germany, with an increase of 5% from 2022 to 2023 and a total volume of over EUR 16 billion. In view of the controversial debate about industrially produced food and the increase in allergies and intolerances to wheat among the population, consumers are increasingly demanding grain products that are organic, sustainable, regional, and traditionally crafted, e.g., using sourdough, because these are associated with good taste and valuable ingredients as well as a conscious and healthy diet.

The aim of the project was to promote the use of landraces (wheat, rye, and barley) that exhibit positive agronomic characteristics under organic farming conditions and are suitable for the production of artisanal organic foods with improved technological, functional, sensory, and nutritional properties.

The protein content was slightly higher in the landraces than in the modern wheat varieties used for comparison. The levels of allergenic amylase/trypsin inhibitors did not differ between the two groups, nor did the inhibitory activity. Although the gliadin content was higher in the landraces, the glutenin content was lower, which is why there was no difference in the total gluten content. The hypothesis that landraces contain fewer immunoreactive ingredients than modern varieties could therefore not be confirmed in this project. Various other analyses showed that landraces hardly differ from modern varieties in terms of their composition. This was also evident in practice, as even varieties that resulted in liquid or sticky doughs could be processed into products such as bread, pastries, or pasta with the right artisanal techniques (e.g., long dough resting times). Thanks to good networking along the value chain and with the help of marketing strategies developed for different target groups, local grain varieties have great potential to be rediscovered.