Originally published June 28 2005
Great sources of whole grain debated by companies
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
While the popularity of products made with healthy whole grains continues to soar, the Kansas City Star is reporting some companies, like toast and cereal manufacturers, are disputing which of their products are consumers' best source of whole grains, so the FDA is considering adopting a system to define what an "excellent" or "good" source of whole grains is.
Anyone who has ever chosen between toast and cereal for breakfast can relate to a fight between food companies over which one counts as an "excellent" source of whole grains.
The answer is worth billions of dollars to cereal-makers such as General Mills Inc. and bread and pasta makers such as Sara Lee Corp., Campbell Soup Co., and ConAgra Foods Inc.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is weighing adopting General Mills' proposed standard that foods containing at least 16 grams of whole grains per serving are "an excellent source of whole grain" while 8 to 15 grams per serving is a "a good source of whole grain."
Bread and pasta makers argue that the definitions pushed by General Mills unfairly favor cereals and crackers over foods like bread and pasta whose water content makes them unlikely to meet what even General Mills says are high standards.
General Mills converted all of its cereals to whole grains last year, and spent millions promoting the switch.
Although the recently revised U.S. dietary guidelines and food pyramid recommend increased consumption of whole grains, industry executives say most consumers are unaware of whole grains and their significant health benefits.
"It's probably one of the most crucial issues facing whole grains," said Len Marquart, an assistant professor of food science and nutrition at the University of Minnesota.
The 16-gram definition proposed by General Mills is based on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's definition of a whole-grain serving, said Kathy Wiemer, senior manager of the company's Bell Institute of Health and Nutrition.
"It is important for everyone to understand what this issue is really all about," Stan Osman, vice president of bread marketing for Interstate Bakeries Corp. of Kansas City, said in a written statement.
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