Existing Standards for Whole Grains
digg this
del.icio.usWhat exactly IS a whole grain food? What counts? Consumers wanting to get the recommended three or more servings a day want to know. School foodservice directors being asked to "serve more whole grains" want to know. And manufacturers looking to label their products responsibly want to know.
The answer is fairly straightforward when you're dealing with 100% whole grains. A dish of brown rice or oatmeal is whole grain – no questions asked. As is a slice of bread made with no other grain but whole grain.
The answer isn't simple, however, when a product's ingredients include both whole grains and refined grains. In many cases, whether such a product is considered "whole grain" depends on which government agency or program, in which country, has a say in the answer. Our list below covers most known standards in the U.S.; we welcome visitors to this website to alert us to other standards in other lands.
| Where+When | Who+What | What qualifies as whole grain | Other restrictions |
| International 2005 | Whole Grains Council Basic Stamp | At least 8g WG per serving | none |
| International 2005 | Whole Grains Council 100% Stamp | At least 16g WG per serving All the grain is whole grain | none |
| USA 1999 / 2003 | FDA Whole Grain Health Claim | At least 51% of the total weight must be WG | limits on fats and cholesterol |
| USA 2004 / 2008 | USDA / FNS Healthier US School Challenge | All WG ingredients, together, must be the primary ingredient; must contain more whole grain than refined grain. | Food must contain at least 14.75g of total grain (25g for grains such as rice) |
| USA 2005 | USDA / FSIS Interim Policy Guidance | At least 8g WG per serving At least 51% of the grain is WG | none |
| USA 2007 | IOM Report on Competitive Foods | Requires foods to be (or contain a serving of) fruits, vegetables or whole grains but does not clearly define "serving." | Limits on fat, sugar, calories and sodium. |
| USA 2007 | USDA / FNS WIC interim rules | In general, WG must be the first ingredient and foods must qualify for the FDA whole grain health claim. | Only certain grain products qualify; no added sugar, salt, or oil allowed in rice, barley, bulgur or oatmeal; sugar restriction and iron requirement for breakfast cereals. |
| Denmark 2008 | DTU (Danish National Food Institute) Fuldkorn (Whole grain) report | Flours and grains must be 100% WG. For breads, crisp breads, breakfast cereals, pasta and noodles, at least 51% of the dry weight must be WG. (i.e., 35% of total weight for bread, 55% of total weight for other categories) | Only the foods listed here can be called whole grain – so no whole grain cookies, cakes, waffles, etc.! |
Here are some definitions that may also be useful to understand:
| Country | Term | Meaning | Source |
| USA | 100% Whole Grain | All the grain is whole grain. | Feb 2007 Draft Guidance, FDA |
| Canada | 100% Whole Grain | All the ingredients are whole grain. |
