Sponsorship opens new opportunities for HRW, HRS and SRW in Nigerian pasta production

For Emeka Ibekwe, understanding how different classes of U.S. wheat perform in pasta production could unlock opportunities to control manufacturing costs and develop new foods for Nigerian consumers. A training opportunity sponsored by U.S. Wheat Associates is helping him explore those possibilities. Ibekwe, technical head of the Pasta Division at Olam, the second-largest flour miller in Nigeria, gained new insights during an October 6–9 pasta production course at the Northern Crops Institute in Fargo, North Dakota. The program examined how wheat characteristics, ingredient functionality and processing techniques influence pasta manufacturing. It helped Ibekwe identify opportunities to evaluate blends of U.S. hard red spring (HRS), hard red winter (HRW) and soft red winter (SRW) wheat to balance finished-product performance with raw-material costs. “Olam is a highly important customer for U.S. wheat, making it essential to maintain and strengthen this relationship through continued tec