In response to evidence of inadequate fibre and magnesium intakes across the Canadian population, the most recent edition of Canada’s Food Guide included a recommendation for increased whole grain consumption. However, whole grain labelling on food packaging remains voluntary and unregulated. The aim of this research was to examine the nature of nutrition guidance provided by whole grain labelling in the Canadian marketplace through a survey of front-of-package nutrition-related marketing in three supermarkets and a detailed examination of nutrient content, ingredients, and price of breads. Whole grain promotion occurred on relatively few products, predominantly among processed foods, and it frequently appeared in conjunction with references to other nutritional characteristics. The whole grain labelling observed was not misleading with respect to highlighting products with whole grain ingredients and higher levels of fibre and magnesium content; however, products with whole grain labelling were less likely to be lower in price.

In response to evidence of inadequate fibre and magnesium intakes across the Canadian population, the most recent edition of Canada’s Food Guide included a recommendation for increased whole grain consumption. However, whole grain labelling on food packaging remains voluntary and unregulated. The aim of this research was to examine the nature of nutrition guidance provided by whole grain labelling in the Canadian marketplace through a survey of front-of-package nutrition-related marketing in three supermarkets and a detailed examination of nutrient content, ingredients, and price of breads. Whole grain promotion occurred on relatively few products, predominantly among processed foods, and it frequently appeared in conjunction with references to other nutritional characteristics. The whole grain labelling observed was not misleading with respect to highlighting products with whole grain ingredients and higher levels of fibre and magnesium content; however, products with whole grain labelling were less likely to be lower in price.

The ethanol industry in Western Canada has seen significant growth in recent times spurred on mainly be environmental considerations. For a region with substantial grain production, increased prices from additional demand by the biofuel industry may inure to the benefit of grain farmers and land owners in the long term. The livestock industry however remains in a complex position facing the possibility of higher feed costs on the one hand and potential savings in feed cost on the other, with the availability of distillers grains- a by-product from ethanol production. The sectorial implications for the livestock sector could also be diverse and dependent upon the capacity to incorporate the distillers grains into the different feed rations. There is also the possibility of a spill-over effect from the US distillers grains market. This study therefore sought to complement current nutritional research by providing an economic perspective of the impact of distillers grains on the livestock industry in Western Canada. Focussing primarily on the beef cattle and hog industries, the study applied both linear programming and time-series techniques to assess potential benefits and costs. Potential positive economic benefits were observed for the inclusion of wheat and corn distillers grains with the former having a higher economic value in the high-protein feed segments.<p> Dependent on market factors such as the price of substitute feeds, exchange rates and transportation considerations, the magnitude of these savings could range between $7.29 and $0.34/tonne. The study recommends an understanding of these dynamics in order for livestock and ethanol producers to derive mutual benefits from the fledging biofuel industry in the Western plains.

In this study, the nutritional value of wheat distillers grains and the effect of further processing of these products on their nutritional value for rainbow trout were investigated in five experiments. In experiments 1 and 2, wheat distillers grains with solubles (WDDGS) was fractionated using grinding, sieving and elutriation sequentially. Apparent digestibility coefficients (ADC) of dry matter (DM), gross energy (GE), acid ether extract (AEE), ash and amino acids (AA) did not differ between the original WDDGS and the WDDGS protein concentrate (P > 0.05). However, the ADC of crude protein (CP) was significantly higher for WDDGS protein concentrate (88.0 %) than the original WDDGS (84.9 %) (P < 0.05). In experiments 3 and 4, the effect of aqueous fractionation on nutritional composition of wheat wet distillers grains (WWDG) from two local ethanol plants (plant 1 and plant 2) was evaluated. Aqueous fractionation increased levels of CP and GE in the processed WWDG from both plants. Fractionation significantly increased the ADC of DM, GE and AEE (P < 0.05). In contrast, protein digestibility was not influenced by the plant or the processing method (P > 0.10). In experiment 5, a 56 d growth trial was performed to determine the effect feeding the aqueous fractionated WWDG to rainbow trout on growth performance. Rainbow trout (n=22/ tank; body weight 136 g and 3 tanks/ treatment) were fed diets containing 0, 75, 150, 225 and 300 g kg-1 of the processed WWDG from plant 2. There were no significant linear or quadratic relationships between inclusion rate and specific growth rate (SGR), average daily gain (ADG) or feed to gain ratios (feed:gain). However, there was a significant negative linear relationship between inclusion rate and average daily feed intake (ADFI) (P < 0.05). The results of these studies suggest that both dry and aqueous fractionation are suitable methods to produce protein concentrates from wheat distillers grains but that the aqueous fractionation process was more effective in improving nutrient composition and increasing digestibility.

The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans for the first time emphasized an increase in daily whole grain consumption in children, adolescents, and adults, and identified a recommended intake of 3 one-ounce servings per day. Despite national dietary policy recommendations and current scientific evidence encouraging an increase in whole grain intake, most Americans are consuming less than one whole grain serving per day. Therefore, a need to determine methods to increase whole grain intake in Americans does exist. One identified method would be to increase whole grain intake in children through the incorporation of whole grain foods into school meals. This study was designed to determine, through the creation of an online survey, methods utilized by school food service professionals overseeing HealthierUS School Challenge Gold rated elementary schools to successfully incorporate whole grain food products into school meals. Data collected from the online survey indicated school food service professionals that incorporated whole grains into their school meals by slowly modifying recipes and gradually incorporating new whole grain foods onto their existing menu were the most successful. Survey results also indicated that students preferred partial blend whole grain products compared to those made from 100% whole wheat. Additionally, survey participants reported barriers to whole grain food incorporation which included: product acceptability, whole grain product identification, whole grain product availability, and cost. There is a need to further understand measures that can be taken to successfully introduce more whole grain food products into elementary school lunches without causing a decrease in consumption of the school meals by students. Data gathered from this survey will be shared with the United States Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service (USDA-FNS) to provide technical assistance to schools participating in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program on how to successfully menu whole grain food products in their schools and maintain alignment with current national dietary recommendations.

In this study, the nutritional value of wheat distillers grains and the effect of further processing of these products on their nutritional value for rainbow trout were investigated in five experiments. In experiments 1 and 2, wheat distillers grains with solubles (WDDGS) was fractionated using grinding, sieving and elutriation sequentially. Apparent digestibility coefficients (ADC) of dry matter (DM), gross energy (GE), acid ether extract (AEE), ash and amino acids (AA) did not differ between the original WDDGS and the WDDGS protein concentrate (P > 0.05). However, the ADC of crude protein (CP) was significantly higher for WDDGS protein concentrate (88.0 %) than the original WDDGS (84.9 %) (P < 0.05). In experiments 3 and 4, the effect of aqueous fractionation on nutritional composition of wheat wet distillers grains (WWDG) from two local ethanol plants (plant 1 and plant 2) was evaluated. Aqueous fractionation increased levels of CP and GE in the processed WWDG from both plants. Fractionation significantly increased the ADC of DM, GE and AEE (P < 0.05). In contrast, protein digestibility was not influenced by the plant or the processing method (P > 0.10). In experiment 5, a 56 d growth trial was performed to determine the effect feeding the aqueous fractionated WWDG to rainbow trout on growth performance. Rainbow trout (n=22/ tank; body weight 136 g and 3 tanks/ treatment) were fed diets containing 0, 75, 150, 225 and 300 g kg-1 of the processed WWDG from plant 2. There were no significant linear or quadratic relationships between inclusion rate and specific growth rate (SGR), average daily gain (ADG) or feed to gain ratios (feed:gain). However, there was a significant negative linear relationship between inclusion rate and average daily feed intake (ADFI) (P < 0.05). The results of these studies suggest that both dry and aqueous fractionation are suitable methods to produce protein concentrates from wheat distillers grains but that the aqueous fractionation process was more effective in improving nutrient composition and increasing digestibility.

The ethanol industry in Western Canada has seen significant growth in recent times spurred on mainly be environmental considerations. For a region with substantial grain production, increased prices from additional demand by the biofuel industry may inure to the benefit of grain farmers and land owners in the long term. The livestock industry however remains in a complex position facing the possibility of higher feed costs on the one hand and potential savings in feed cost on the other, with the availability of distillers grains- a by-product from ethanol production. The sectorial implications for the livestock sector could also be diverse and dependent upon the capacity to incorporate the distillers grains into the different feed rations. There is also the possibility of a spill-over effect from the US distillers grains market. This study therefore sought to complement current nutritional research by providing an economic perspective of the impact of distillers grains on the livestock industry in Western Canada. Focussing primarily on the beef cattle and hog industries, the study applied both linear programming and time-series techniques to assess potential benefits and costs. Potential positive economic benefits were observed for the inclusion of wheat and corn distillers grains with the former having a higher economic value in the high-protein feed segments.<p> Dependent on market factors such as the price of substitute feeds, exchange rates and transportation considerations, the magnitude of these savings could range between $7.29 and $0.34/tonne. The study recommends an understanding of these dynamics in order for livestock and ethanol producers to derive mutual benefits from the fledging biofuel industry in the Western plains.

Wet distiller’s grains with solubles are the most common feedstuff generated by the ethanol industry, and this feedstuff has been utilized by the feedlot industry. Exploration of the effect of dietary distiller’s inclusion on the form and quantity of protein or nitrogen (N) has received little attention. Assessment of degradable N needs in diets containing wet distiller’s grains with solubles (WDGS) is needed to aid the cattle feeding industry in managing feed costs and potential environmental issues. In Exp. 1, 525 yearling steers (initial weight = 373 ±13 kg) received treatments in a 2 × 3 1 factorial. Factors included corn WDGS (15 or 30 percent of DM) and non-protein N (NPN; 0, 1.5, or 3.0 percent of DM) from urea. The control diet without corn WDGS contained 3.0 percent NPN (1.06 percent urea) and cottonseed meal. Overall gain efficiency among steers fed 15 percent corn WDGS was greatest for 1.5 percent NPN and least for 0 percent NPN (P = 0.07, quadratic), whereas gain efficiency decreased linearly (P < 0.09) as NPN increased in the 30 percent WDGS. Dressing percent was greater (P < 0.01) for the control diet than for 15 percent or 30 percent WDGS. In Exp. 2, 296 steer calves (initial BW = 344 ± 12 kg) were adapted to a common finishing diet, blocked by BW, and assigned to treatments. Experimental diets included a control diet without WDGS (contained 3 percent NPN from urea, and cottonseed meal) and 15 percent WDGS with either 1.50, 2.25, or 3.00 percent NPN (0.52, 0.78, and 1.04 percent urea, respectively, on a DM basis). Overall gain efficiency on either a live or adjusted basis was not different among treatments (P > 0.15). Dietary NPN concentration did not influence growth performance (P > 0.21). Results suggest that optimum performance for cattle fed 15 percent WDGS occurred when the diet contained between 1.5 percent and 2.25 percent NPN. However, removing all supplemental NPN was necessary to support optimum performance in diets containing 30 percent WCDG.

Cereal grains share many common traits, but they also have different internal structures, nutrient values, degradation kinetics and digestion features. Heat treatments are commonly used in the feed industry. It is known that heat is able to change the nutrient values of the feed but the effect could be equivocal. In order to understand the effects of heat processing on internal structure and nutrient availability of cereal grains, two batches of wheat, triticale and corn were divided into three groups (control/raw (unheated), dry heating and moist heating) and processed at 121 °C for 80 min. Basic chemical analysis and in situ, in vitro assays were conducted and CNCPS, DVE/OEB and NRC-2001 models were used to determine the nutrient availability of the grains. In addition, two mid-IR molecular spectroscopy techniques (Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) and Synchrotron Radiation Infrared Microspectroscopy (SR-IMS)) were used to gain an insight into the heat-induced changes in the functional groups. Significant (P<0.05) differences were found between the cereal grains in their nutritional availabilities, including their chemical characteristics, protein and carbohydrate fractions, energy values, the ruminal degradation kinetics, hourly effective rumen degradation ratios, potential N-to-energy synchronization, and intestinal digestion of cereal grains. Compared to dry heating, moist heating had more impact on altering the nutrient profiles and showed the potential to increase the nutrient availability of wheat and triticale for dairy cattle. Significant differences (P<0.01) were detected between different feeds and heat treatment groups by using the ATR-FTIR technique. Results were found in consistency with the conventional chemical and animal studies mentioned above despite when using the SR-IMS technique. Significant (P<0.05) correlations were detected between some structure spectral characteristics and nutrient digestion traits. In conclusion, the moist heating had more profound impact than the dry heating in increasing nutrient supplies to ruminants in wheat and triticale. The heat-induced effects found in corn were less positive. The ATR-FTIR technique could detect the internal structural changes in cereal grains, while the sensitivity and accuracy of the SR-IMS technique were not proved in this study.

The USDA’s “My Plate” recommends that preschool-aged children consume specific amounts of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. These foods contain essential nutrients that children and adults alike require to maintain good health. Researchers have shown, however, that a significant number of children do not consume the recommended amounts of these foods, specifically vegetables and whole grains. Investigators have become increasingly interested in food deserts and whether living in these areas results in lower consumption of healthy foods. Food deserts by definition are areas where inhabitants have limited access to nutritious food. This study investigated the fruit, vegetable and whole grain consumption levels for preschool age children living in food desert or non-food desert areas. The NATFAN (National Food and Nutrition Questionnaire) survey of WIC participants was compared to the USDA’s food desert location data in order to learn the impact of living in a food desert. Using IBM SPSS to test the hypothesis, separate two-sample t-tests were conducted to determine if the mean difference between frequencies of fruit, vegetable, and whole grain consumption equaled zero. The data showed no difference in consumption of fruits and vegetables between food desert residing children and their non-food desert counterparts. There was, however, a difference in means for the consumption of whole grains. Specifically, food desert residing participants were consuming less brown rice. Using consumption amounts estimated from frequency data, it was discovered that, overall, WIC participants were under consuming fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.