DUIVEN, THE NETHERLANDS — Oats have experienced a resurgence in recent years as a healthy food ingredient, but breakfast cereals sill account for almost 40% of the more than 1,600 global launches of bakery and cereal products containing oats during the first six months of this year, according to a database from Innova Market Insights.

Oats have been marketed for their higher-energy, whole grain and heart-health benefits, and there have been efforts resulting in a wider use on oats in bakery and cereal lines. More than 1,360 breakfast cereals were introduced during the January to June period, and nearly 45% of these contained oats while 40% of recorded cereal bar launches contained oats and just 6% of bread launches had oats.

“As the healthy image of oats has developed further in the wake of research about controlled energy release on top of growing awareness of the link between oats, cholesterol levels and heart health, the potential for further development seems considerable,” said LuAnn Williams, head of research at Innova. “The additional benefit of a natural image has helped oats still further and aided the rising levels of demand in other sectors of the bakery and cereals market, including bread, biscuits, cereal bars and snacks, and ongoing high levels of activity in these and other product sectors seems inevitable.”