Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have (1) to introduce an agreed definition of wholegrain, and (2) to set a recommended daily amount for its consumption.

Currently in the United Kingdom, there is no agreed definition for wholegrain or wholegrain foods. Therefore, wholegrain consumption cannot be monitored in the National Diet and Nutrition Survey. At its horizon scan meeting in June 2022 the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) agreed that it would be useful to consider a definition for wholegrain and added it to its future work programme due to start Summer 2023.

SACN’s Carbohydrates and Health report published in 2015 provides strong evidence on dietary fibre and positive health outcomes, but for wholegrains and health outcomes the evidence was mixed and SACN has questioned whether any beneficial effect from wholegrain may be due to the fibre content. Fibre is found in a range of foods and is not exclusive to wholegrain foods. Based on SACN’s findings, Government recommends that adults consume 30 grams of dietary fibre each day and that this should be achieved through a variety of food sources.

Government dietary advice, as depicted by the UK’s national food model, the Eatwell Guide, is that we should choose wholegrain or higher fibre versions of starchy carbohydrates wherever possible. This advice aims to increase population intakes of fibre. This is because in the UK, there is no quantitative recommendation for dietary wholegrain consumption, whereas there is a specific Government recommendation for dietary fibre consumption. The Government continues to promote the Eatwell Guide principles through a variety of channels, including the NHS.UK website and our social marketing campaigns, Better Health and Healthier Families.

There are no current plans to introduce a public and private sector partnership aimed at increasing the consumption of wholegrain foods.

Authorised nutrition and health claims related to fibre can be used by food business operators on food products, pursuant to retained Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, as amended by the Nutrition (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 and the Nutrition (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020.

All authorised and rejected nutrition and health claims are included in the Great Britain Nutrition and Health Claims Register (GB NHC Register), other than those health claims authorised on the basis of proprietary data which will be recorded in a separate Annex to the GB NHC Register. The GB NHC Register, and the separate Annex, are available in an online only format.