04.01.06
FDA Issues Guidance on ‘Whole Grain’ Definition
In mid-February, FDA issued draft guidance on what the term “whole grain” may include. The guidance will assist manufacturers with what the FDA considers appropriate for food label statements related to whole grain content. The FDA document clarifies that the agency considers whole grain to include cereal grains that consist of the intact, ground, cracked or flaked fruit of the grains whose principal components—the starchy endosperm, germ and bran—are present in the same relative proportions as they exist in the intact grain. Such grains may include barley, buckwheat, bulgur, corn, millet, rice, rye, oats, sorghum, wheat and wild rice. In contrast, in the grain refining process some of the bran and germ is removed, resulting in a loss of dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals. The draft guidance states that although rolled and “quick oats” can be called whole grains because they contain all of their bran, germ and endosperm, other widely used food products may not meet the whole grain definition. For example, FDA does not consider products derived from legumes (soybeans), oilseeds (sunflower seeds) and roots (arrowroot) as whole grains.
In mid-February, FDA issued draft guidance on what the term “whole grain” may include. The guidance will assist manufacturers with what the FDA considers appropriate for food label statements related to whole grain content. The FDA document clarifies that the agency considers whole grain to include cereal grains that consist of the intact, ground, cracked or flaked fruit of the grains whose principal components—the starchy endosperm, germ and bran—are present in the same relative proportions as they exist in the intact grain. Such grains may include barley, buckwheat, bulgur, corn, millet, rice, rye, oats, sorghum, wheat and wild rice. In contrast, in the grain refining process some of the bran and germ is removed, resulting in a loss of dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals. The draft guidance states that although rolled and “quick oats” can be called whole grains because they contain all of their bran, germ and endosperm, other widely used food products may not meet the whole grain definition. For example, FDA does not consider products derived from legumes (soybeans), oilseeds (sunflower seeds) and roots (arrowroot) as whole grains.