Buckwheat as Functional Food

The content of rutin was analysed with help of the HPLC method in the individual plant parts of common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) - grains, straws, leaves, flowers, tops, roots, young plants and genns. The content of rutin found in buckwhet.tops was about 100 tin:es .higer than in grains. The addition of buckwheat leaves to a model lIpid substrate showed antlOXldatlve activity with the protection factor equalling 4.1. Due to the high content of rutin and the proven antioxidative activity a suitable way of utilizing buckwheat tops in food production was searched for. In the Food Research Institute Prague an original fonnula ofa functional food product was created, for the first time making strong use of the dried buckwheat tops as one of the principal components of an extruded product. Changes in selected nutritional and sensory parameters during storage were observed along with the microbiological purity of the product. The shelf life has been set at 6 months. The monitoring of rutin content during extrusion showed that losses occur, amounting 50%. A new extruded product called "Zatka's com crispbread with buckwheat and garlic" was launched in cooperation with the company Bratfi Zatkove, a.s., Borsov nad Vltavou, Czech Republic. This product was honoured by the award "Golden Salima Brno 2002" at the International Food Fair in Brno in the category "Rational nutrition, special foods" and by the grand prize "Golden Ear" at the 30th international exhibition "Earth the Provider" in Ceske Budejovice. By ingesting the content ofa single pack ofthe product the consumer covers almost the total recommended daily intake of rutin.