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:: Volume 20, Issue 5 (Winter: special issue: Policy Brief 2026) ::
Iranian J Nutr Sci Food Technol 2026, 20(5): 187-194 Back to browse issues page
Whole Wheat Flour and Whole-Grain Bread: The Need for Clarifying National Standards Based on Internationally Recognized Definitions
M Ahmadi , A Doustmohammadian *
Food and Nutrition Security Secretariat, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran & Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , doost_mohammadi@yahoo.com
Abstract:   (134 Views)
Background and Objective: Whole wheat flour and whole-grain bread are central components of healthy dietary patterns and are widely promoted as part of strategies to prevent non-communicable diseases. However, inconsistencies in the definition of whole wheat flour across scientific, regulatory, and policy frameworks may undermine regulatory oversight, food labeling, and public health interventions.
Methods: A comparative analysis was conducted of definitions and standards issued by AACC International, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the HEALTHGRAIN Consortium, Codex Alimentarius, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), and relevant national policy documents and guidelines in Iran.
Results: All reviewed references consistently emphasized the preservation of the three principal anatomical components of the wheat kernel-bran, germ, and endosperm-in their natural proportions. Among the reviewed sources, only the HEALTHGRAIN definition specifies quantitative limits for acceptable processing losses, permitting losses of less than 2% of the whole grain or 10% of the bran. In contrast, limited consensus and regulatory clarity were identified regarding grain-component recombination, permissible processing losses, and operational criteria for flour extraction rates.
Conclusion: Maintaining the natural proportions of bran, germ, and endosperm constitutes the fundamental principle underlying both international and national definitions of whole wheat flour. Establishing clear national criteria for permissible processing losses, grain-component recombination, and extraction-rate specifications could enhance regulatory transparency, facilitate monitoring and enforcement, and support the effective implementation of whole wheat flour and whole-grain bread promotion programs.  
Keywords: Whole wheat flour, Whole-grain bread, Bran, Germ, Food standards, Nutrition policy
Full-Text [PDF 1079 kb]   (45 Downloads)    
Article type: Brief Policy | Subject: nutrition
Received: 2026/06/1 | Accepted: 2026/01/30 | Published: 2026/06/1
References
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2. FDA Food and Drugs Administration (1996) 21 CFR 102.5-General Principles. https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-1996-title21- vol2/pdf/CFR-1996-title21-vol2-sec137-200.pdf. .
3. Van Der Kamp JW, Poutanen K, Seal CJ, Richardson DP. The HEALTHGRAIN definition of 'whole grain'. Food & nutrition research. 2014;58(1):22100. [DOI:10.3402/fnr.v58.22100]
4. Codex Standard for the Labelling of Prepackaged Foods. CODEX STAN 1-1985. Adopted 1985, Revised 2018. Section 5.1, Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme, CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION, Rome, Italy. Available online: fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/sh-proxy/es/?lnk=1&url=https%253A%252F%252Fworkspace.fao.org%252Fsites%252Fcodex%252FStandards%252FCXS%2B1-1985%252FCXS_001e.pdf (accessed on 30 May 2026).
5. Alimentarius C. Codex standard. Rome, Food Agriculture Organization. 2011:33-198.
6. FSANZ. Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. Standard 2.1.1.-Cereals and Cereal Products; Food Standards Australia New Zealand: Canberra, Australia. Available online: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2015L00420 (accessed on 30 May 2026).
7. Ministry of Health and Medical Education of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Executive Guidelines for the Production and Supply of Whole Wheat Flour and Whole Wheat Bread. Tehran: Ministry of Health.
8. National Documents and Guidelines Related to Whole Wheat Flour and Whole Wheat Bread, Deputy for Health and Office of Community Nutrition Improvement, Ministry of Health of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
9. Iran National Standards Organization. National Standards Related to Wheat Flour, Bread, and Physicochemical Properties of Cereal Products. Tehran: Iran National Standards Organization.
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Ahmadi M, Doustmohammadian A. Whole Wheat Flour and Whole-Grain Bread: The Need for Clarifying National Standards Based on Internationally Recognized Definitions. Iranian J Nutr Sci Food Technol 2026; 20 (5) :187-194
URL: http://nsft.sbmu.ac.ir/article-1-4172-en.html
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Volume 20, Issue 5 (Winter: special issue: Policy Brief 2026) Back to browse issues page
Iranian Journal of Nutrition Sciences and Food Technology
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