Ridgeway / CO. (gff) Numerous innovations are rapidly changing the nutrient profile of bread and other grain foods. Prebiotics, Omega 3 fatty acid, vitamin D-fortified yeast, other grain flours, soy, fruits, additional fiber and resistant starch are just some of the items currently being added. At the same time, an increasing number of manufacturers in the United States are removing or reducing trans fats, sodium and sugars from grain based foods.
According to the U.S. Grain Foods Foundation (GFF), «Many Americans are not aware of the advancements in the category and do not recognize the important nutrients that bread contains. A March 2007 Harris Interactive poll found that only 36 percent of Americans think bread provides any health benefits. Nine percent of American women between 35 and 44 think bread is fattening. And while these statistics have greatly improved since 2005, we still need to educate the public about the health benefits of bread and other grain foods». And those health benefits are significant:
- Enriched grain products are the number one provider of folic acid in the American diet. Since this addition was declared mandatory to enriched grains in 1998, neural tube birth defects have decreased by one-third in the United States. While whole wheat only contains half as much folic acid, it is still a major contributor in the American diet.
- Both whole wheat and enriched grains contain more antioxidants than vegetables and most fruits with the exception of berries.
- Both whole wheat and white bread provide fiber, with whole wheat providing four times as much. Americans are only consuming about half the amount of fiber they should so grain products can help solve that shortage.
To further educate the industry about the functional benefits of grain-based foods and review its consumer education program, the Grain Foods Foundation is presenting an educational session on October 09 at the Orange County Convention Center in conjunction with IBIE International Baking Industry Exhibition.
