Colourful Wheat Biscuits Against Alzheimer’s, Diabetes and Cancer

As part of a TÜBİTAK-supported project at Selçuk University, researchers produced biscuits from non-GMO purple and blue wheat varieties rich in antioxidants. The team aims to transform locally grown colourful wheat into high-value-added functional foods that may support health against major chronic conditions such as diabetes, Alzheimer’s and cancer. 

Led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hayati Akman and his team under the TÜBİTAK-1002 programme, the study evaluated 20 black, purple and blue wheat genotypes and identified the most suitable varieties for biscuit production through scientific and technological analyses. Akman emphasized that the biscuits contain no additives and gain their colour naturally from the wheat’s genetics, not artificial dyes. 

Prof. Dr. Gökhan Zengin, who conducted the health analyses, noted that these varieties offer promising cellular-level benefits and described the biscuits as functional products that can help increase body resistance and support cell regeneration. The project team stated that mass production and the first prototype phase have been reached for 2026, and further functional products are planned beyond biscuits.