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​​​​Whole Grains and Whole-Grain Foods

Building a Consensus for Global Definitions

At the 6th International Whole Grain Summit in 2017, global leaders agreed that the world needs harmonized definitions for whole grain ingredients and whole grain foods to support public health, empower consumers, and ensure fair standards across the food industry.

To meet this need, the Whole Grain Initiative (WGI) convened the International Working Group on Whole Grain Definition(s), including experts from academia, government agencies.

Taking into account widely accepted definitions and regulations, as well as new scientific developments, the Working Group developed the following globally accepted definitions of whole grain and whole grain foods.

In 2021, these definitions were finalized and endorsed by the Cereals & Grains Association, the International Association for Cereal Science and Technology (ICC), and the HealthGrain Forum.

  • Whole Grain: Whole grains shall consist of the intact, ground, cracked, flaked or otherwise processed kernel after the removal of inedible parts such as the hull and husk. All anatomical components, including the endosperm, germ, and bran must be present in the same relative proportions as in the intact kernel.

  • Whole-Grain Food: A whole-grain food shall contain at least 50% whole-grain ingredients based on dry weight.

  • Requirements for designating “whole grain” in the product name front-of-pack: Foods containing a minimum of 25% whole-grain ingredients based on dry weight, but less than 50%, may make a front of pack claim on the presence of whole grain but cannot be designated “whole grain” in the product name.

The International Working Group’s definitions, including additional information and guidance for their use, can be downloaded from the WGI webpage.

Sprouted Grain Statement

In addition, the Cereals & Grains Association Board approved the following statement on sprouted grains in February 2008:

“Malted or sprouted grains containing all of the original bran, germ, and endosperm shall be considered whole grains as long as sprout growth does not exceed kernel length and nutrient values have not diminished. These grains should be labeled as malted or sprouted whole grain.”

Why It Matters

These standardized definitions ensure that global stakeholders in academia, industry, and government agencies have shared standards and criteria to achieve scientific compliance and consistency in product composition and labeling.

In addition, agreement on definitions provides transparency for consumers whose trust has been eroded by misleading or unclear labeling of foods containing inconsequential amounts of whole grains—allowing them to make more informed choices.

This framework helps rebuild consumer trust and ensures that “whole grain” means the same thing, everywhere.

    Responses to Issues Related to Defining Whole Grains

    Cereals & Grains Association (formerly AACC International) has released the following responses on this topic.