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Korean Research Team at Wheat Marketing Center PORTLAND, OR (April 12, 2002) -- Five Korean Club Wheat Research Team members, led by U.S. Wheat Associate's Korean technical marketing specialist Dr. Woojoon Park, milled and baked Pacific Northwest (PNW) Club Wheat in a week-long study at the Wheat Marketing Center to determine and verify the flour's benefits for sponge cake production for Korean consumers. Representatives included one miller and three bakers. Research work continued with baking and comparison evaluations of sponge cakes during the week. The Korean Research Team concludes their work today. For the Project, more than 1200 pounds of Club Wheat samples were provided by the Washington Wheat Commission. PNW states Idaho, Oregon, and Washington are the only states in the U.S. which grow Club Wheat. Club Wheat, a sub-class of Soft White Wheat provides the unique gluten characteristics, which are desirable for confection products such as sponge cakes. "Club Wheat is the best; it is the most suitable wheat for Korean sponge cake production. Other wheat classes or sub-classes can't compare with Club Wheat for texture. It has an additional benefit of increased milling yield and product volume," Thomas B. Mick, chief executive officer of the Washington Wheat Commission said. Dr. Park commented that "more than 15 percent of Korea's 1.8 million metric tons of flour consumption goes to confectionery products. Sponge cake production and consumption in Korea is very significant and continues to grow at a rapid pace." "Two years ago, the Washington Wheat Commission, U.S. Wheat Associates, and the Wheat Marketing Center initiated the Club Wheat Project. Mick and Wheat Marketing Center's Bongil (Bon) Lee, traveled to Korea to introduce and discuss the merits of Pacific Northwest Club Wheat with Korean millers and bakers," Washington Wheat Commission commissioner Lynn G. Blair stated. "As a result of that trip, this team came to the Wheat Marketing Center to evaluate Club Wheat for their sponge cakes," Blair concluded. The Wheat Marketing Center (WMC) facilities include milling, baking, and Asian product-making equipment and staff expertise in cereal science, food science and technology, research, product protocols, milling, baking, and Asian products. "We are most pleased to host the research team, converse in Korean, and assist them in this important project," commented Wheat Marketing Center's Asian Foods Specialist Dr. Guoquan (Gary) Hou.
For additional information, contact the Wheat Marketing
Center: 1200 NW Naito Parkway, Suite 230, Portland, OR 97209.
Telephone 503/295-0823, Fax 503/295-2735, or email: info@wmcinc.org Copyright© 2001-2002 Wheat Marketing Center, Inc., Portland, OR USA |