August/September 2007
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August/September 2007 |
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| If you walk down
the bread, cereal or cracker aisle at the grocery store you may think the
whole grain revolution is in full swing. The number of products that claim
to be ‘whole grain’ have exploded since USDA
MyPyramid revisions recommended that you make ½ of your grain
portions whole grain. But all is not what it seems! With the consumer
interest growing for more whole grain servings, producers have started to
make product changes, but some labeling is still misleading. The definition of whole grain products remains the same: the first ingredient listed on the ingredient label should begin with the word ‘whole’ grain. It might say ‘whole wheat’, ‘whole oats’ or some other grain. Labels that say ‘made with whole grain’, 'multi-grain', or 'seven grain' don't necessarily mean the end product is whole grain. You need to confirm this by reading the ingredient label which is often in tiny lettering. To make it easier for consumers to identify
whole grain products, the Whole Grains Council created the Whole Grain
Stamp. Released in June 2006 in its newest form, the stamp now appears on
over 800 products in grocery stores across the nation.
Over 130 companies are members of the Whole Grain Council and have the
right to use the stamp on their qualifying products.(See left) If they contain 8 grams (half a serving) of whole grain, they can use the
second stamp which looks the same without the 100% wording. Keep in mind,
this is a volunteer system, so not all whole grain products you find will
bear this stamp. |
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Kris Jenkins jenkinsk@missouri.edu Regional Specialist Human Environmental Sciencs Last revised: 07/21/08 |
