In the past three months, St. Louis-based Sara Lee Bakery Group has launched a slew of new bread products aimed at a changing consumer base that wants better-for-you products. The company’s latest line of new products, Sara Lee Heart Healthy Plus whole grain breads, are fortified with fiber, calcium, vitamin D and folic acid.
The new line of breads comes in either multi-grain or 100% whole wheat flavors, and as a 20-oz. traditional-size loaf or a 24-oz. wide-pan loaf. Two slices of the 20-oz. product contain 30% of the recommended daily value (DV) of fiber and calcium, and 20% of the DV of vitamin D and folic acid. Two slices of the 24-oz. bread contain 35% of the DV of fiber, 30% of the DV of calcium and 20% of the DV of folic acid and vitamin D.
This new line of products complements the company’s November launch of Earth Grains Extra Fiber breads. The company says that this launch was the first mainstream brand to offer whole grain bread fortified with folic acid, vitamin D and calcium. However, there is a gray area surrounding the fortification of whole grain breads. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) prohibits the folic acid enrichment of whole grains and other unstandardized grain foods.
American Bakers Association recently sent a letter to FDA urging it to consider a policy change to allow folic acid enrichment of standardized whole wheat and unstandardized bakery foods. FDA only allows for the folic acid fortification of enriched flour bakery foods.