Chia Power

Buy Chia in Bulk From Bolivia!

In February 2010, I received a phonecall from a chia seed grower, Mr. Marcelo Aspetty from Bolivia. He says he reads and enjoys my website and wanted to get in touch.
He represents a family farming company, GRANICORP, that grows chia seeds, along with corn, rice, and other cereals, near Santa Cruz, Bolivia.

In Bolivia, chia seed is planted in May and June, and is harvested in September.
Mr. Aspetty told me that his family produces nearly 200 metric tons of chia seed a year, and most of it is exported to Chile and Germany. He is asking my help in finding interested distributors in the U.S.

So Dear Reader, if you are in a position to import a ton of chia seed from Bolivia, here is who to contact!

 Link to Granicorp info.

Food Scientists Study the Gelling Properties of Chia Seeds

Many commercially sold food products use gelling agents to improve viscosity or mouth-feel. Seeking examples, I cruised my fridge and found xanthan gum in salad dressing, barbecue sauce and frozen lasagna and locust bean gum in a stir-fry sauce. Guar gum is another frequently used food additive. Here's an article describing the uses and safety of these products, if you want to know more. For the most part, these additives are soluble carbohydrates that can be mixed with water to form a tasteless thick, viscous edible substance.

Food scientists have begun to evaluate chia seed carbohydrate as a gelling agent in food products. Here is a peer-reviewed article that tests these 5 properties: water‐holding capacity, oil‐holding capacity, viscosity, emulsion activity, and freeze–thaw stability. The authors conclude that "chia seed gel has potential application in food formulation as a thickening agent, emulsifying agent, and as a stabilizer in frozen food product."

Source: Coorey R, Tjoe A, Jayasena V. Gelling Properties of Chia Seed and Flour. Journal Of Food Science. 2014. (Press release.)