FOODEX is the largest annual food expo in Japan, drawing more than 2,000 exhibitors from 60 countries and regions and 85,000 attendees. The U.S. Grains Council’s Japan office hosted a booth at the show and also participated in a cooking demonstration, where U.S. barley, corn meal and white sorghum recipes were showcased.

During the demonstration, well-known Japanese food nutritionist and recipe developer Ms. Nobuko Munakata demonstrated how to cook a hamburger using U.S. pearled barley. Ms. Munakata emphasized the beta-glucan-rich health benefits of the U.S. barley. She also demonstrated a dessert cake made with the U.S. white sorghum flour. Ms. Munakata explained that white sorghum can be used in both western and Japanese style dishes and is currently used as a substitute of traditional flours for individuals requiring gluten-free foods. Lastly, baker Ms. Rumi Kojima demonstrated cooking cornbread.

In each demonstration, more than 100 food professionals tasted the dishes as they learned about U.S. barley, white sorghum and corn as food ingredients.

“The president of a food creative factory said he was very interested in developing recipes utilizing U.S. barley for Japanese restaurants and food manufacturers,� said USGC Associate Director in Japan Hiroko Sakashita, who helped staff the Council’s booth. “Another buyer, a purchasing director of a food education institute, requested samples of white sorghum flour so he could introduce it in the cooking school’s curriculum.�