What are whole grains?
The Whole Grains Council says a whole grain must contain the essential bran, germ and endosperm as well as naturally occurring nutrients of the entire seed.

Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) definition of whole grains is less conclusive.In February, FDA released its definition, and said whole grains are cereal grains, such as corn, rice, oats and wheat, and these grains must be intact, ground, cracked or flaked.

Did FDA make any other recommendations about whole grain consumption?
Yes. In 2005, the government released MyPyramid, which recommends that Americans receive half of their total grain intake from whole grains, which should be about three ounce-equivalents per day.

However, this recommendation caused some confusion. How did consumers know how many ounceequivalents were in their bread or other bakery foods?

The Whole Grains Council created a stamp that bakers could display on their packaging promoting their breads as "good" or "excellent" sources of whole grains-if these bakery foods contained at least 8 grams or at least 16 grams, respectively.

When FDA released its definition of whole grains in February, it turned down requests from bakers to make these statements, and instead said bakers should display factual statements, such as "8 grams of whole grain" on their packaging.

Do whole grain bakery foods warrant any health claims?
Yes. FDA approved a whole grain health claim especially for whole grain bakery foods.

In addition, on May 19, FDA finalized a rule that allows foods containing barley to claim they reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. This health claim stipulates that bakery foods containing whole grain barley or dry milled barley products provide at least 0.75 grams of soluble fiber per serving.

Many whole grain breads also are eligible for FDA-approved fiber health claims. FDA allows three different health claims related to fiber.

* 21 CFR 101.76 addresses fibercontaining grains and their relation to reducing the risk of cancer

* 21 CFR 101.77 addresses grains that contain fiber, particularly soluble fiber, and their relation to reducing the risk of coronary heart disease

* 21 CFR 101.81 addresses soluble fiber from certain foods and their relation to reducing the risk of heart disease.Whole grain oat flour or oat bran, which provides betaglucans, is one such whole grain eligible for this health claim. Where can I learn more about whole grains and their healthful benefits?

* www.wholegrainscouncil.org
* www.grainpower.org
* www.fda.gov

Whole grain health claim Claim: FDA docket No. 99P-2209 addresses whole grain foods and their relation to reducing the risk of heart disease and certain cancers. Claim statement: "Diets rich in whole grain foods and other plant foods and low in total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease and some cancers. Requirements:
* Contains 51% or more whole grain ingredients by weight per RA
* Dietary fiber content at least 3.0 grams per RA of 55 grams 2.8 grams per RA of 50 grams 2.5 grams per RA of 45 grams 1.7 grams per RA of 35 grams
* Low fat.

ADM offers bakers whole grains, support

What are the benefits of formulating with whole grains in bakery foods?
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's new food pyramid guidelines emphasize whole grain consumption as part of a healthful diet. In demand by consumers, whole grains typically are rich in fiber and may benefit heart health and weight management.Whole grain ingredients also contain important vitamins and minerals.

Can bakers incorporate whole grains at different levels?
Yes, though the level of incorporation is up to bakers. Food products are able to be formulated with 100% whole grain ingredients, and many bakers will include “made with whole grains” labels on their product packages to appeal to consumers. Bakers should keep in mind that the type of whole grain ingredients used and their levels of incorporation will affect tastes and textures of finished products.

What ADM ingredients offer whole grains?
ADM offers a variety of whole grain ingredients, including extra fine Kansas Diamond™ white whole wheat flour. Kansas Diamond™ has a mild flavor and smooth texture similar to popular white refined flours, but includes the benefits of whole grains.

ADM also offers traditional white and red whole wheat flours, along with whole grain mixes such as ADM 7-Grain Blend and ADM Whole Grain Blend. ADM recommends bakers formulate mixes at levels of 15% 30%, to ensure that the mixes offer methods of incorporating whole grain into formulations. Again, the level of incorporation will influence texture and taste.

What kinds of baked goods are bakers able to produce with ADM's whole grain ingredients?
Bakers are able to formulate a variety of baked goods with ADM whole grain ingredients, including breads, buns, pizza doughs, tortillas and sweet snacks such as muffins and cupcakes. The actual ingredients used will depend upon the intended finished product.

How can ADM help bakers incorporate whole grains into their products?
ADM employs bakery applications experts who help bakers choose the best whole grain ingredients for their new or existing applications. These experts work with bakers throughout every stage of development to ensure that the final product meets all expectations. ADM is able to work with bakers from the initial concept stage all the way through the roll-out of the finished product.

Does ADM offer any other healthful ingredients to complement the use of whole grain ingredients?
Absolutely. ADM offers such better-for-you ingredients as Fibersol-2™ soluble dietary fiber, Prolite™ wheat protein isolate, and custom vitamin and mineral enrichments. These ingredients complement the use of whole grains and help to further fortify a baked good.

For more information, contact ADM
at 800-637-5843 or go to www.admworld.com