Page 10 - Nutrinsight-2

NutrInsight • Whole grain and health: new evidence
1.6 How do we get consumers to increase their intake of whole grain?
Initiatives to promote whole grain towards consumers
One of the most impressive campaigns in Europe to increase whole grain consumption was launched in 2009 in Denmark; it is a partnership between government, health partners, and commercial partners (see www.fuldkorn.dk). The Danish whole grain campaign announced its first results in March 2010 and showed that whole grain product sales had increased by 19%, whereas there had been no growth in the general market for bread, cereals, rice and pasta market.
Success factors in the campaign included the commitment of a wide range of stakeholders who put together an information campaign and ensured wider availability, namely by encouraging product innovation. The campaign also gave increased prestige to whole grain products and to the organisations supplying them (schools, employers, retailers, etc.). Other such initiatives around the world include the whole grain stamp, developed in the USA and currently applied in more than 20 countries (see www.wholegrainscouncil.com).
Healthgrain initiatives to promote whole grain
HEALTHGRAIN includes education, training and dissemination elements in order to transfer the technology and “know how” about healthy grain foods to the European grain processing industry and health professionals. This will help to increase awareness of the benefits of eating whole grains rich in micronutrients and other protective substances as part of an enjoyable and healthy diet. This will hopefully lead in Europe to their increased consumption, improved health perception and subsequent benefits.
• Wholegrainscontainall3partsofthegrain:bran,germandendosperm,comparedtorefined cereals, which essentially contain the endosperm.
• Whole grains have a high nutritional density due to the presence of bran and germ, increased contents of fibre, antioxidant compounds, vitamins and minerals.
• TheHEALTHGRAINprojecthasproducedacomprehensivedefinitionofwholegrain.
• There is not yet a universal quantitative recommendation for whole grain. For a healthy diet, Denmark promotes 75 g of whole grain per 10 MJ daily need, which corresponds to 62 g/day.
• ConsumptionofwholegraininEuropeiscurrentlywellbelowrecommendations.
• Weneedtoincreasetherangeofwholegrainfoodsandeducateconsumersabouttheirbenefits. The results of the HEALTHGRAIN project will help to achieve this.
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Key Points