Agrasys, a spin-off of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) located at the Barcelona Science Park, has launched to the market Tritordeum, the first newly created cereal marketed in the world for human consumption. The official presentation took place at Hotel Claris in Barcelona, with a welcome by members of Agrasys and the participation of master baker Josep A. Ribas, author of the Cruixent artisan breads bakery, and Chef Josep M. Freixa, presently head of the Tradició Freixa Restaurant (awarded with a Michelin star).

Tritordeum was first developed by Antonio Martín, research professor at the Institute of Sustainable Agriculture (IAS) of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and his research team, as part of a breeding program, started in 1977, which has resulted in a new crop cereal with beneficial health properties.

In 2006, Agrasys, a spin-off of the CSIC, created by a group of scientists from the academia and industry, acquired exclusive commercial rights to Tritordeum and its breeding program. Agrasys has now two registered varieties of Tritordeum and is working on the selection of new lines with characteristics in high demand by the industry and adapted to different environments, in collaboration with Dr. Martin and his IAS team in Córdoba.

Currently, several chains of gourmet bread bakeries in Barcelona such as Forns Enrich, Fleca Balmes, Cruixent and Forns Mistral, among others, who share the vision of producing high quality products, have developed breads and pastry products from this new cereal.

In parallel to its launch in Barcelona, Agrasys has closed or is negotiating several agreements to grant commercial licenses for Tritordeum in other European countries. Pilar Barceló, Agrasys general manager, explains: “In Spain, our model is to work directly with both grain producers and the manufacturers of products from cereals and ingredients. At the international level, including the European Union, we prefer to sell the rights to one or more companies so that these companies carry out commercialization, since they are the ones who know in depth their markets and consumers. “

The founding principles of the company Agrasys include a commitment to R & D + I excellence, the production of new knowledge, technologies and materials, and the exploitation of these results to produce new crop varieties in order to contribute to the sustainability and efficiency of agriculture and to produce food with real benefits for society.

“Our business model is based on strategies based on continuous and productive partnerships with other companies and public and private research groups at all levels, from basic research to product sales. We strongly believe in the strength of our resources, but we also know that our growth and success depend on interactions with other public and private partners worldwide, “said Paul Lazzeri, research director at Agrasys.

• For further information about Tritordeum [+]