Cereal foods are major dietary sources of energy, carbohydrate and fibre. Studies are increasingly showing that intake of both whole grain and cereal dietary fibre are able to protect against rapidly increasing chronic diseases related to a sedentary lifestyle, such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. However, whereas current cereal processing methods have been optimised to deliver products made of refined grain, dietary recommendations stress the need to eat more carbohydrates, dietary fibre and whole grain foods. There is also an increasing demand from consumers for healthy, tasty and convenient foods containing more of the protective components of the grain.



The HEALTHGRAIN Integrated Project aims to improve well-being of consumers and to reduce the risk of metabolic diseases in Europe by increasing the intake of protective compounds in whole grains or their fractions. The aim is to produce health promoting and safe cereal foods and ingredients of high quality which are attractive to consumers. To achieve this, our integrated comprehensive research, training and communication program will deliver means and motivation for optimising levels of compounds in European grain foods that have a biological effect. These health-protective compounds in grains may in addition to dietary fibre include lignans, phenolic acids, alkylresorcinols, phytosterols, folates, tocopherols and tocotrienols, other vitamins, trace elements and minerals. All of these compounds are concentrated in the outer layers of the grain, and are thus removed in production of white wheat flour. HEALTHGRAIN is developing ways to producing cereal foods containing more of these protective compounds. The role of cereal food structure and other factors influencing postprandial glycemic and satiating properties are also being studied in order to develop foods which contribute to metabolic health and weight management.

The scientific and technological objectives are
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Carbohydrates

Organic compounds of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen; simple carbohydrates: mainly sugars; complex carbohydrates (polymers): starches and fiber; are large chains of sugar units arranged to form starches and fiber (according to USDA). one of the three main nutrients/sources of energy in food;

Caryopsis

also called grain; dry seed-like fruit produced by the cereal grasses: e.g. wheat, barley

Dietary Fibre

Dietary fibre (carbohydrates and lignin) is made up of the edible parts of the plant that is not digestible. It can be found especially in whole grain products like bran and oat bran cereals, whole and mixed grain breads or wholegrain breakfast cereals. Fiber is also defined as nutrient (Dietary Reference Intake).

Whole grain

Definition according to the American Association of Cereal Chemists: "whole grains shall consist of the intact, ground, cracked or flaked caryopsis, whose principal anatomical components - the starchy endosperm, germ and bran - are in the same relative proportion as they exist in the intact caryopsis.";
Whole grains are an important source of dietary fibre, minerals, vitamins, phyto-oestrogens, antioxidants and other components and is low in saturated fatty acids; A number of scientific studies indicate significant health benefits of whole grains (heart, blood sugar levels, insulin levels, body weight, overall digestive health; foodstuffs that contain whole grain: wheat flakes, cereal grains, whole grain wheat, rolled oats, oatmeal, brown rice, bulgur, whole rye, pearl barley, whole grain corn; (see more in Background)

lignans

belong to the group of phytochemicals called phytoestrogens and are hormonally active compounds in grains; found in plants; sources: whole grain wheat, whole grain oats, rye meal, flaxseed seeds, sesame seed;

postprandial

after having meal;

glycemic

"causing sugar in the blood"; glycemic index (GI): A measure of the rate at which a carbohydrate will enter the bloodstream as glucose;

trace elements

certain minor chemical elements (e.g. iron, manganese, copper, iodine); needed in minute amounts for growth, development and physiology of an organism;