Reprocessed Chia Seed from Harinas Polo: Technical Evaluation and Processing Impact in the Food Industry.

Harinas Polo's Reprocessed Chia Seed is a pure industrial ingredient derived from the chia seed (Salvia hispanica L.). The seeds originate in Paraguay, Argentina, and Bolivia and undergo a reprocessing process in Spain to ensure the optimal purity standards required by the industry.

Aligned with Clean Label guidelines, it is a 100% natural product and completely free of additives. Visually, it consists of seeds that are predominantly black, with some white, gray, or brown seeds, and its aroma and flavor profile are typical of the grain, free from off-notes. It boasts an excellent level of technical purity exceeding 99.98\%" data-index-in-node="60">>99.99%.

Legal Restriction on Use

(Novel Food – EC Reg. 258/97)

As it is regulated under European legislation on novel foods and ingredients (Novel Foods), chia has specific legislated applications in the final product:

Industrial Application: It can be used either for direct inclusion in doughs or as an external decorative topping, where the manufacturer does not mandate a minimum or maximum dosage percentage.
Legal Limit at Destination: However, in accordance with EU legislation, the inclusion of the seed is restricted to a maximum of 10% in baked goods, breakfast cereals, and seed, fruit, or nut mixes.

Nutritional Analysis (100g).

Detailed profile based on our high-purity chia seed.

This ingredient stands out for its exceptional density of healthy fatty acids and dietary fiber.

Component Analytical	Average value per 100 g	Functionality and Industrial Impact on the Masses Text
Fats Totals	30.7 g	Very high oil content. It acts as a natural crumb softener and significantly improves the bread's freshness.
Saturated	3.30 g	Minimum fraction of saturated fatty acids.
Monounsaturated	2.30 g	Stable monounsaturated fatty acids.
Polyunsaturated	23.70 g	Predominant lipid fraction. Adds high nutritional value to the baked product.
Omega-3	17.80 g	An extraordinary source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA).
Omega-6	5.80 mg	Lower and balanced presence of Omega-6.
Dietary Fiber	32.3 g	Extraordinary fiber level. Its high mucilage content drastically increases the dough's water absorption and retention capacity.
Proteins	15.50 g	Excellent source of plant-based protein, complementing the nutritional profile.
Carbohydrates	7.70 g	Low net carb content.
Of which sugars	0 g	Free from simple free sugars.
Ash / Water	4.80 g / 9.0 g	Retained native minerals and controlled actual batch moisture.
Salt / Sodium	40.00 mg / 16.0 mg	Negligible sodium contribution, ideal for health claims.
ENERGY VALUE	443 Kcal / 1825 KJ	Official caloric density stipulated for the recipe's energy balance.

Why does European Union legislation limit the use of chia to 10% in baked goods if the manufacturer specifies no recommended minimum or maximum percentage?

There is a difference between the technological recommendation and the legal framework. From a technological standpoint, Harinas Polo does not limit the use of chia, as the seed can be mechanically incorporated in varying proportions depending on the desired texture. However, from a legal perspective, chia (Salvia hispanica L.) entered the European market under the Novel Foods Regulation (Reg. EC 258/97). EU food safety committees authorize its use in bread and pastry products, setting a strict maximum limit of 10% in the final product to ensure that cumulative consumption of this ingredient remains within levels deemed safe for the population. The industrial client must formulate its recipe while adhering to this legal limit.

With such an extraordinary fiber content (32.3 g), how does this ingredient alter the rheological behavior of baking doughs?

Chia contains a vast amount of soluble fiber, consisting primarily of high-molecular-weight mucilaginous polysaccharides. When the seeds come into contact with the free water in the recipe during mixing, these mucilages rapidly hydrate to form a viscous gel capable of retaining up to 10–12 times its weight in water. From a technical standpoint, this necessitates increasing the formula's total hydration during production to avoid dry or tough dough. At the same time, this water retention acts as an excellent natural improver, as it inhibits moisture migration during storage and extends the freshness and commercial shelf life of the baked product (preventing the bread from going stale quickly).