The Canadian Grain Commission has announced changes to the grading specifications for barley and red lentils.

The CGC said the changes to barley, which were recommended by the Western Standards Committee, highlight barley's potential for a diverse range of end uses. including food products.

Currently, barley is classed as malting, hulless or general purpose. After Aug. 1, it will be classed as food, malting or general purpose, which better describes potential end uses.

Rather than having a separate hulless class, each class will have hulless and covered varieties.

The CGC said that in the current system, if a variety suited for malting were a hulless variety, it would be classed as hulless barley, not as malting barley, which could lead customers to overlook its potential as malting barley.

In the revised system, this variety will be more accurately classed as malting barley.

The CGC also announced changes to grading specifications for the percentage of copper and bleached seeds in red lentils.

Research has found that copper and bleached seeds in red lentils will lead to a decrease in dehulling efficiency, the CGC said.

In addition, copper and bleaching affects the colour of the cotyledons, making affected lentils less appealing for processors and end users, the CGC said.