Whole Grain Ingredient Content Claim
Does the Code create a definition of a whole grain food?
It is not the purpose of The Code to define a whole grain food or a whole grain core food. The purpose of The Code is to allow clear, consistent communication of the whole grain content of foods to encourage people to choose and eat whole grain foods. The AACC International characterisation for whole grain food is 8 grams of whole grain per 30 gram serve. Having been established in 2012, The Code is a relatively new initiative. Once The Code has had adequate time to be established as an industry standard, GLNC will consider expanding The Code to incorporate the whole grain characterisation and potentially advocating for incorporation into the ANZ Food Standards Code.
Does this mean that foods that contain less than 8 grams per serve cannot be called whole grain?
Product names may continue to include the word whole grain even if they contain less than 8g whole grain per serve. According to the current Foods Standards Code, a food sold as whole grain or whole meal need only meet the specification that it has whole grain as an ingredient. As a characterising ingredient the Food Standards Code requires the per cent whole grain be quoted in the ingredient list.