Milling & Baking News - November 23, 2004 - 9

H E A L T H

A N D

W E L L N E S S

Billions of potential whole grain
servings annually seen looming

"This is something that needs to be addressed in the F.D.A. They would be the
appropriate agency."
Providing a different perspective on
Continued from Page 1
"That is a lot of whole grains - 218 bil- fortification, Pamela M. Keagy, nutriof industry, scientists, chefs and Old- lion a year. Is that a pipe dream? Is it a tion consultant, delved further into how
ways Preservation Trust members com- silly thought, maybe
whole grains might fit
mitted to increasing consumption of not achievable? Or, can
into a grain enrichwhole grains.
ment program.
we make it a reality?
Participants in the conference covered Sure we can. Are there
Although
curthe gamut in the food industry, from enough whole grains?
rently not part of an
corporate nutritionists at major food No problem."
enrichment program,
companies to professors to chefs. The
some whole grains
In order to narrow
expansive background of participants the gap, conference
products are fortified,
offered varied perspectives on not only participants
Ms. Keagy explained,
agreed
what is known about whole grains, but that efforts must be
pointing to ready-toalso what will be important to teach undertaken from all sectors of society, eat breakfast cereals, cereal bars, toaster
consumers going forward in regards to including the government, large food pastries and breakfast substitutes as
research and nutrition education.
companies, the fast-food industry and examples.
Drawing on 30 years of experience
schools, among others.
Whole grains on the map
working in folate and cereal, though, Ms.
Two events have spurred the interest Government a sounding box
Keagy said she would not recommend
Eric Hentges, executive director, fortifying whole grains at this time,
in whole grains: the low-carbohydrate
diet craze, which prompted many U.S. Department of Agriculture Center pointing out that many would not agree
consumers to look at food labels more for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, with her. She indicated several risks
carefully and made many more aware said that while the government will associated with too much folate intake
of fiber and whole grains,
such as masking certain
and the upcoming release of
vitamin
deficiencies.
the new Dietary Guidelines 'Everybody believes whole grains are a good thing, for
She also noted that there
for Americans, which is a lot of different reasons. If it's only for fiber, if you can
simply is not enough
expected to place particular
data on high levels of
emphasis on whole grains only convince people of that, that's okay.'
folate intake to support
- Joanne Slavin, University of Minnesota moving forward on forfood consumption.
Promoters
of
whole
tifying whole grains in
grains believe those two
their natural form.
developments have set the stage for food be providing tools to help consumers
companies to make a push for whole understand nutrition, it will be vital to Grains good for you
Addressing the nutrition benefits of
grains consumption like never before the success of whole grains consumption
experienced. Already, initiatives by Min- for companies to make their positions whole grains, Joanne Slavin, professor
neapolis-based General Mills, Inc., in known to agencies such as the U.S.D.A. of Food Science and Nutrition at the
University of Minnesota, briefed parready-to-eat cereal and St. Louis-based and Food and Drug Administration.
"As we move forward in any of these ticipants on some of the health attributes
Sara Lee Bakery Group in fresh bread,
have shown that food companies believe food policy questions those wishing to of whole grains, including its standing
consumer interest in whole grains will further their position need to do (trials)," as a good source of fiber, calcium and
grow and that it is possible on a large Mr. Hentges said. "They need to get into magnesium. A positive for the industry
scale to incorporate whole grains into a that kind of process mode, because this going forward is that no one is saying
is really going to be how all food toler- whole grains are bad, Ms. Slavin said.
significant part of their product line.
"Everybody believes whole grains
But those two companies' efforts ance issues and diet health in general are
are a good thing, for a lot of different
alone will not be enough to bridge going to be addressed."
Meetings such as the Whole Grains reasons," she said. "If it's only for fiber,
the gap between recommended whole
grains intake and what consumers are Council gathering are an excellent way if you can only convince people of that,
for groups to share ideas that may be for- that's okay."
actually consuming.
While recommendations may call for
For many Americans, the U.S. Depart- mulated into initiatives to be promoted
ment of Agriculture's recommended to the government for consideration for only half of total grain servings to come
grain intake target is six servings per future food guidelines or health claims, from whole grains, Ms. Slavin noted
there is nothing to suggest that eating
day with half the servings to come from he added.
The U.S.D.A. is expected to release its more is either good or bad in terms
whole grains. Currently, less than one
serving of grains comes from whole updated Dietary Guidelines for Ameri- of health. In fact, the question of how
good a diet strictly consisting of whole
grains, leaving a two-serving a day void, cans early next year.
Touching on another area of interest grains might be is a moot discussion, she
a significant gap for the grain-based
for the grain-based foods industry, Mr. said, as evidence suggests that very few
foods industry to try and overcome.
Over a full year, such figures would Hentges responded to a participant's people even eat the recommended three
translate into a whole grains gap of 218 question about fortification of whole servings a day, let alone more than that.
Additional information on the "Whole
billion servings, said K. Dunn Gifford, grains with folic acid. "If we close this
president and founder, Oldways Pres- gap and do not have the fortification of Grains Go Mainstream" conference will
folate as we move whole grains up, we appear in an upcoming issue of Milling &
ervation Trust.
"That is a lot of servings," he said. could have issues," Mr. Hentges said. Baking News. MBN
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Milling & Baking News - November 23, 2004

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