Carbohydrates and Health

2.40 There are discrepancies between definitions of a whole grain food (including
whole grain flour) used for labelling purposes between countries and within and
outside the EU. In the UK and the USA whole grain foods must contain 51% or
more whole grain ingredients by wet weight, whereas in Sweden and Denmark
the requirement is 50% or more whole grain ingredients on a dry matter basis. In
Germany, whole grain bread must be 90% whole grains (EFSA, 2010b).
2.41 An EU research project (The Healthgrain Consortium) developed a single definition
of whole grains for use across Europe and, where possible equivalent to definitions
outside Europe, which aimed to also be in line with definitions outside of Europe,
such as the American Association of Cereal Chemists International definition 5
(van der Kamp et al., 2014). A full definition describing the grains included and the
processing aspects was developed and an overall definition of whole grains given
as follows:
• Whole grains shall consist of the intact, ground, cracked or flaked kernel after
the removal of inedible parts such as the hull and husk. The principal anatomical
components – the starchy endosperm, germ and bran – are present in the same
relative proportions as they exist in the intact kernel.
• Small losses of components – that is, less than 2% of the grain/10% of the bran
– that occur through processing methods consistent with safety and quality
are allowed.
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5 Whole grains consist of the ‘intact, ground, cracked or flaked caryopsis (grain), whose principal componentsthe
starchy endosperm, germ and bran-are present in the same relative proportions as they exist in the intact
caryopsis’ (American Association of Cereal Chemists International, 1999). To be considered whole grain, a food
may contain intact grains, minimally processed grains, or milled grains from which no component has been
removed during the milling process.