Enrichment of Whole Grain Foods with Soluble Fiber: Enhancing Health Benefits and Remedying a Critical Shortfall

Abstract

The nutritional and health benefits of fiber-rich whole grains and whole grain products are robustly supported by epidemiological and case control studies. However, various whole grain products fitting within the U.S. FDA whole grain labeling guidance are acutely low in fiber, and consumption of the recommended daily intake of whole grains (3–5 servings) from products containing these whole grains would be insufficient to meet even 50% of the recommended daily intake of fiber (25–38 g). This represents a critical shortfall that is made worse by the fact that U.S. consumer intake is at only ≈40% of the fiber and ≈15% of the whole grain levels recommended by the 2010 USDA Dietary Guidelines. At the same time, simply increasing whole grain consumption to increase fiber intake to meet these recommendations is constrained by the potential impact on the processing and sensory quality of food products and an increase in caloric intake. Several of the epidemiological studies showing the benefits of whole grain co...