Grain-Based Ingredients

Comedian Robin Williams once said, “The first time I ate organic whole-grain bread, I swear it tasted like roofing material.”

He’s not the only one who recalls the industry’s early, dense products. But grain-based products continue to innovate and aerate. The results are lighter and increasingly palatable to mainstream consumers.

In the marketplace

The USDA’s food pyramid stresses the importance of grains in the diet. Specifically, it states that consumers should eat at least 3 oz. of whole grains daily, or roughly half of their grain intake. The message seems to be reaching consumers.

FDA allows foods containing at least 51% whole grains by weight of reference amounts customarily consumed (RACC) that are low in total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol to carry a health claim linking them to a reduced risk of heart disease and certain cancers. FDA uses the amount of fiber within the grain to calculate the 51% whole-grain minimum. “Whole wheat contains 11 grams of dietary fiber per 100 grams; thus, the qualifying amount of dietary fiber required for a food to bear the prospective claim may be determined by the following formula: 11 grams X 51% X RACC/100,” according to FDA.

A stamp provided to members by the Whole Grains Council, Boston, offers consumers an easy way of knowing the types of grains they are consuming. If a product bears the 100% stamp, all of its grain ingredients are whole grains and it contains 16 grams of whole grain per labeled serving. Products that bear the basic stamp contain half as much whole grain, or at least 8 grams, and may contain some refined grain. As of April 2008, a Whole Grain Stamp appears on more than 1,800 products.

Understanding grains

FDA is specific in defining whole grains as “cereal grains that consist of the intact, ground, cracked or flaked caryopsis, whose principal anatomical components—the starchy endosperm, germ and bran—are present in the same relative proportions as they exist in the intact caryopsis. Cereal grains may include amaranth, barley, buckwheat, bulgur, corn (including popcorn), millet, quinoa, rice, rye, oats, sorghum, teff, triticale, wheat and wild rice.”

Although these products are often included in grain-based foods, the FDA does not consider products derived from legumes (soybeans), oilseeds (sunflower seeds) and roots (arrowroot) as grains.

Whole grains are the entire seed, or kernel, of the plant. The bran is the outer skin of the kernel. The bran contains 50% to 80% of the minerals in grains (including iron, copper, zinc and magnesium), as well as protein, fiber, B vitamins and phytochemicals. The endosperm, or middle layer, is the germ’s food supply. The largest portion of the kernel, it contains most of the protein and carbohydrates. The germ is the embryo. It contains trace minerals, unsaturated fats, B vitamins, antioxidants and phytochemicals. Together, the bran and germ contain 25% of the grain’s protein.

Refined grains are milled to remove the bran and the germ. Although many of the nutrients are lost, they are often enriched with B vitamins such as thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and folic acid. Enriched grains do not have fiber added. No doubt, refined grains grew in popularity because, in addition to a finer texture, they also have a longer shelf life.

Perennially popular wheat

Wheat remains the favorite bread for luncheon sandwiches among American consumers. The International Dairy, Deli and Bakery Association, Madison, WI, ranked wheat No. 1 in a 2007 report.

While wheat may be a generic term to consumers, food developers know certain classes of wheat are more suitable for certain applications. The classes are based on the endosperm hardness (hard or soft), color (red or white) and season grown (spring or winter). Hard wheat has a harder physical texture and is not milled as easily. Hard wheat flour has more protein (12% to 14%) than soft flour (7% to 8% protein). It also has more gluten. Hard spring wheat flour has slightly more protein than hard winter wheat flour.

Hard red winter wheat is used in breads, tortillas and pizza crust. Hard red spring wheat is a good choice for hearth breads and bagels. Hard white wheat is most often used in white breads.

Soft red winter wheat and soft white wheat are used in cookies, cakes and pastries. Durum wheat contains the highest protein levels and is used to make pastas. The ideal protein level for pasta flour should be between 12% and 16%, at 14% moisture content. Using less than an 11% protein will result in poor-quality pasta, as will protein levels greater than 16%.