Among other terms that might seem to denote a vague healthfulness simply by existing, it’s important that consumers have a strong understanding of what “whole wheat,” “whole grains” and other names really refer to when applied to bread products. This is a subject this blog has touched on before, but it’s worth revisiting.
Your company doesn’t need to spell out each step of the process, but just by making labels that give some context and reality, companies can pre-empt the feeling some shoppers might have of feeling “duped” if they get the definition from somewhere else.
The FDA notes that it “has not defined any claims concerning the grain content of foods.” Instead, that agency advises that producers of bread items themselves describe it accurately, noting that the ambiguous term “wheat flour” is different from “whole wheat flour.”
“We recommend that products labeled with ‘100 percent whole grain’ not contain grain ingredients other than those the agency considers to be whole grains,” the FDA’s guidelines read. “Consumers should be able to look at the ingredient statement to determine whether the predominant or first ingredient listed is a whole grain.”
As a recent Washington Post column notes, the relationship between whole grains and fiber can also be a thorny one that’s difficult for shoppers to parse out on their own.
Food companies that don’t make this distinction clear might come across as taking advantage of consumer ignorance. This is why companies should understand their products and take the greater regulatory thoughts around them more carefully before creating the food labels that make the most sense for them.
Leave a Reply