Sara Lee reveals whole grain content of bread

The company said it would reveal the whole grain content of its enriched white and enriched bread to consumers via the website.

Sara Lee, which sells products under fifteen bakery brands, said it is the first in the industry to be clear about the nutritional profile of its products.

This comes as health professionals across the world are trying to encourage healthy eating and awareness of what consumers are actually eating.

The Whole Grains Council of America has said that most Americans do not eat enough whole grains, consuming only one serving a day.

The organisation suggests people should consume 48 grams a day, the equivalent of three servings, in order to reduce the risk of stroke, diabetes and heart disease.

The Council said new product launches of foods making a "whole grain" claim have grown sharply since 2000, with ten times as many new whole grain products introduced in 2007 compared to the year 2000.

However, Sara Lee claims 73 per cent of mothers mistakenly identify their white bread as whole wheat, whereas 80 per cent contain minimal amounts of whole grain.

"Sara Lee aims to push the entire industry forward so that families can make the best choices for their health and wellness," said Bill Nictakis

In January this year, Sara Lee launched a new bread category that it claims could help increase US whole grain consumption by billions of grams per year.

The company claims that its Soft & Smooth 100 per cent whole wheat bread is the first in the cateogry to combine preferred taste and texture with nutrition.

The company said it will educate families by providing information about whole grains within its products, in both its enriched white bread as well as the 100 per cent whole wheat breads.

The information will be available through the brand's website, as well as through a new campaign run by Sara Lee that will run across the US, the Sara Lee Soft & Smooth Great Whole Grain Giveaway.

The campaign will include online social networking, media advertising and a 2.5m product giveaway, as well as a website giving information about the whole wheat content of other bread manufacturers based on the products' label information.

"We expect that this programme will successfully communicate a simple message to millions of parents around the country," said Sara Lee's director of health and wellness, Frances Coletta.