Poultry products approved for whole grain stamp

Products containing chicken along with whole grains are now permitted to feature the Whole Grain Stamp, after the US government announced an expansion of the list of goods eligible to use the symbol.

The labels were introduced last year by the Whole Grains Council (WGC) as a way to help consumers keep track of their whole grain consumption.

The stamp is already used on nearly 800 products, mainly breads, cereals, crackers and granola bars, but until recently it had not been approved for use on meat and poultry goods.

The USDA's Food Safety Inspection Service has now approved the use of the stamp on such goods, a move that comes just six weeks after the stamp was redesigned to provide consumers with more information.

Last year's new dietary guidelines included the advice that people should consume more than three ounce-equivalents of whole grain products per day. At least half the grains consumed should be whole grains. In gram terms, this equates to 48g or more of whole grains per day.

Standards for products to qualify for the new stamps remain the same as before. Products must contain at least 8g of whole grains to use the stamp. Stamps on products with at least 16g of whole grains may also add '100%' if all the grain in the product is whole grain.

Editor WorldPoultry