Canary seed: a novel cereal from the Canadian Prairies

Photo courtesy of Gloria Gingera, CDC, U of S

Canary seed is an excellent ingredient for balancing the nutritional value of various foods. Canary seed flour can replace wheat flour for up to 25% without negative impacts on the texture, colour and flavour of baked products (Abdel-Aal et al., 2011; Patterson et al., 2018). Canary seed ingredients have been successfully used in muffins, tortillas, pasta and noodles (Figure 7) (Patterson et al., 2018).

Possessing a natural, mild, nutty flavour, groats can be used in snaps, granola bars, bread toppings and as a safe substitute for sesame seeds, especially with the growing allergenicity of the latter (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2017).

Canary seed ‘milk’ is becoming a trendy beverage among consumers. It can be prepared at home by soaking canary seeds, blending with water and then straining to create a white liquid emulsion that resembles milk (see full recipe below). The health benefits of canary seed ‘milk’ are attributed to the release of bioactive peptides (Valverde et al., 2017). Ready-to-use canary seed milk mixes are available online and through natural food stores as dietary supplements (Figure 8).

Apart from human consumption, canary seed can be used as feed for poultry and swine (Newkirk et al., 2011; Thacker, 2003).