Baking & Snack - September 2008 - 16

NEWSFRONT
Whole grains celebrated with
food pantry donation

Caravan Ingredients, King Arthur Flour
and Mary's Gone Crackers are among the
companies that have already donated
7 tons of whole-grain foods to schools,
food pantries, Meals on Wheels and
homeless shelters as part of the Whole
Grains Giveaway held in conjunction with
Whole Grains Month.
"Seven tons is only the beginning," said
Kara Berrini, program manager for the
Whole Grains Council (WGC), who along
with its parent organization

Oldways Preservation Trust organized the
giveaway. "Our Whole Grains Giveaway
has barely begun, and we're delighted
with the fast pace of early donations."
Ms. Berrini said the final donation
total is expected to be much higher as
pledges continue to come in throughout
September and October from the 204
WGC members.
A final total will be announced in November, and WGC has a running total and
details of each donation on its Web site,
www.wholegrainscouncil.org.
In addition to the Whole Grains Giveaway, other events organized by WGC
during September for Whole Grains
Month include:
*The Whole Grains Store Tour -
Includes a downloadable kit of resources
to help supermarket dietitians introduce

Fortification study combines folic acid,
vitamin B12
Bread fortified with folic acid and
vitamin B12 improved folate and
vitamin B12 status and a considerable proportion of vitamin
B12 deficiency in a research study
involving men and women ages 50 to
75 in The Netherlands. The study addressed
concerns that high intakes of folic acid might mask
vitamin B12 deficiency in older persons. Those concerns
have delayed the introduction of folic acid fortification in many
European countries.
The 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled study revealed consumption of fortified
bread increased serum folate concentrations by 45% and serum vitamin B12 concentration by 49% relative to the placebo group. Consumption of fortified bread decreased the
population of individuals with marginal serum vitamin B12 concentrations to 0% after
12 weeks from 8% at enrollment.
The Food and Drug Administration introduced mandatory folic acid fortification in
1998. Neural tube defects, including spina bifida, have declined by 26% since then.
Results of the study in The Netherlands appear in the August issue of the American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Vol. 88, No. 2, 348-355). The study involved researchers
from the Top Institute of Food & Nutrition in Wageningen, The Netherlands; Wageningen University in Wageningen; the Institute of Health Sciences at Vrije Universiteit in
Amsterdam, The Netherlands; the University of Oxford in Oxford, United Kingdom; and
the Unilever Food and Health Research Institute in Vlaardingen, The Netherlands.
BAKING & SNACK / September 2008

their customers to the health benefits
of whole grains;
*Friends of Whole Grains - A new
online forum where consumers may
exchange tips, recipes and questions
about whole grains;
*The Whole Grains Challenge - The
second annual contest in which WGC
will recognize restaurants and food
service providers serving at least one
whole grain choice at all times; and
*Just Ask for Whole Grains - An
ongoing program to support health
organizations and schools in educating
others about whole grains and health.

EPA move called
'major missed
opportunity'
The American Bakers Association
(ABA) expressed disappointment
last month with the decision of the
Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) to deny the ethanol mandate
waiver request of Gov. Rick Perry of
Texas. Robb MacKie, ABA president
and c.e.o., described the EPA move as
a "giant step backwards in alleviating
the food price crisis."
The criticism came one week after
ABA lambasted the US Department of
Agriculture for not offering a penaltyfree early out option for Conservation
Reserve Program acreage not deemed
environmentally sensitive. Lee Sanders,
ABA senior vice-president of government relations and public affairs, said,
"The EPA missed a great opportunity
to change the direction of this misguided policy."
Warning of the pressure on consumers, Mr. MacKie cited a recent
Pew survey indicating that 38% of the
public are concerned that there will
be difficulties affording food in the
months ahead. "EPA's decision will
only exacerbate this trend," he said.

http://www.wholegrainscouncil.org

Baking & Snack - September 2008

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