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AACCI board approves whole grain characterisation in the US

The board of directors for the American Association of Cereal Chemists International (AACCI) has recently approved the AACCI Whole Grain Working Group’s characterisation of whole grain products.

The characterisation states that for a food product to be labelled as wholegrain, it must contain a minimum of 8 grams of whole grain per 30 grams of product.

Approval of the characterisation has been welcomed by Australia’s independent authority for nutrition and health benefits of grains and legumes, the Grains & Legumes Nutrition Council (GLNC)

“The approval of the whole grain products characterisation has been highly anticipated not only by the American cereal grains industry but also the European and of course, Australian industry. As a participant of the Whole Grains Working Group, the Grains & Legumes Nutrition Council is pleased to see an agreed position towards defining whole grain products,” stated GLNC Managing Director, Georgie Aley.  

“The new characterisation is in line with the GLNC’s soon-to-be-released industry standard for whole grain content claims in Australia with an emphasis on the minimum of 8 grams per manufacturer serve to be able to define a food as containing whole grains,” Aley outlined.

Dr Julie Miller Jones, chairman for AACCI’s Whole Grain Working Group said that the new characterisation will address the confusion that consumers are subject to when choosing whole grain products.

"Currently, consumers are confused about what constitutes a whole grain food, and this characterisation provides clear guidance to those who seek to consume the recommended levels of whole grain foods," she said.

The Australian Dietary Guidelines specify that Australian’s need to consume six serves of grain foods each day and the GLNC believes that the characterisation will help consumers meet their daily targets.

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