Cereals: Production, properties and organic food

Abstract

Man has always been using cereal grains in his diet. When traditional stone mills were replaced the mass white flour production began. Rejecting whole grain and orientating exclusively to white bread and bakery products, mankind eventually suppressed extremely valuable cereals (millet, barley, oat, rye, buckwheat, amaranth and even maize) from its nutrition. During the second half of the last century people became aware of a need to use again natural sources of food and high biological values of such food for the human organism. One of basic principals of correct and healthy nutrition is daily consumption of whole-grain cereals. Based on the most recent trends in the world science of food, the objective of this study was to present the most important properties and prospective of the production development and utilization of the most important cereals in our country and abroad. In terms of obtained scientific and research results, potential possibilities, status and needs on markets, and in accordance with recommendations made by nutritionists, the production of organic cereals and their products of high nutritive values and health safety, is considered remarkably actual and attractive. The aim of the study is to draw attention to this very important sector of the contemporary science and technology, for which it can be justifiably claimed that is full of real and great challenges.

Čovek je oduvek u svojoj ishrani koristio zrno cerealija, odnosno žita. Tek je zamena klasičnih kamenih mlinova dovela do masovne proizvodnje belog brašna. Odbacujući celo zrno i orijentišući se isključivo na beli hleb i peciva savremeno čovečanstvo je postepeno potisnulo iz svoje ishrane izuzetno vredna žita: proso, ječam, ovas, raž, heljdu, štir, pa čak i kukuruz. Druga polovina prošlog veka donosi buđenje svesti o potrebi vraćanja na prirodne izvore hrane i visokim biološkim vrednostima koje ona ima za ljudski organizam. Jedan od osnovnih principa pravilne i zdrave ishrane jeste svakodnevna upotreba integralnih cerealija. Cerealije su jedna od najzastupljenijih biljnih vrsta u organskoj proizvodnji u svetu. Sagledavajući najnovije trendove svetske nauke o hrani za zadatak ovog rada je postavljeno da se prikažu najbitnija svojstva i perspektive razvoja proizvodnje i korišćenja najvažnijih cerealija u našoj zemlji i u svetu. Polazeći od do sada ostvarenih naučnoistraživačkih rezultata, potencijalnih mogućnosti, stanja i potreba na tržištu, a u skladu sa preporukama nutricionista, proizvodnja organskih cerealija i njihovih proizvoda visoke nutritivne vrednosti i zdravstvene bezbednosti se smatra izuzetno aktuelnom i atraktivnom. Cilj rada je da skrene pažnju na ovaj veoma važan sektor savremene nauke i tehnologije za koji se sa pravom se može reći da je pun pravih i velikih izazova.