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and reviewed by other scientists. A final
selection of just 11 studies was included
in the evidence package submitted to
Health Canada for its review.
“It is a process based on quality and
not necessarily quantity,” said Ames.
“We’re looking for the most relevant
studies, conducted
with the best
science that is most
applicable to the
Canadian population.
It is important for the
science behind these
studies to be real and
stand the test of time.”
Grant Morrison, a
retired scientist now
with the Quaker Oats
Company, said a
review of the scientific literature in 2006
was important in obtaining the Health
Canada health claim for oats.
“Health Canada demands very
rigorous scientific studies to support a
health claim. A health claim is important
to the company to help support its
marketing efforts, but it is also important
for consumers to know there is science
behind that health claim. It isn’t just a
marketing gimmick.”
Although quantities vary, the
therapeutic health claims for oats,
barley and flax are similar. For example,
the health claim calls for a daily diet to
include three grams of beta glucan fibre
from oats or barley, while with flax it is 40
grams of ground whole flaxseed—and all
can help lower blood cholesterol, which
is a risk factor for heart disease.
The science stands solidly behind
those claims, but what do they mean to
the average consumer?
“It means if individuals consume
the recommended amounts (or a
combination) of those grains and
oilseeds in their daily diets, it will help
reduce blood cholesterol levels,”
said Kelley Fitzpatrick, a consulting
nutritionist who works with both the
Flax Council of Canada and the Barley
Council of Canada. She is also working
with the hemp industry on the health
benefits of hemp seed.
Fitzpatrick, working with the Flax
Council, was instrumental in preparing
the submission that earned flax a Health
Canada therapeutic health claim in 2014.
“With the Health Canada guidance
document in place,
we were able to
complete the process
in about 18 months,”
said Fitzpatrick. “With
my background, I
was able to review
about 1,100 published
studies, eliminate
those that didn’t
apply, and narrow
it down to about 16
that we felt qualified.
And from that, Health Canada selected
six it felt were of high enough quality to
support the health claim.”
After achieving a health claim, the
next step is to inform consumers of the
health benefits of the food. While many
food processors are keen to include
health claims on products as part of their
marketing efforts, Fitzpatrick said it is
also important to explain what that “daily
amount” looks like in portion size.
Back in Nancy Ames’ lab, they not only
reviewed scientific studies, but they did
a lot of work looking at different forms of
barley—whole barley, pearl barley, barley
flakes and barley flour—in typical serving
sizes. They were all tested to determine
the amount of beta glucan fibre in
different forms of barley.
With oats, researchers looked at oat
bran, rolled oats/oatmeal and whole
oat flour to determine amounts of beta
glucan fibre.
The health claim for both cereals calls
for a daily serving of three grams of beta
glucan fibre. For an oat food product to
carry the health claim, it must contain
0.75 grams of beta glucan oat fibre per
serving, and with barley it must have one
gram of beta glucan per serving.
This information matters to
consumers, who are paying attention
to health claims on food products,
said Brooke Bulloch, a private food
nutritionist operating her own Food to
Fit consulting service in Saskatoon.
“People are becoming more aware of
what foods they eat, and are interested
in the health benefits of different foods,”
said Bulloch. “When we do grocery store
tours, one of the first things we look at is
the health claims.”
Health Canada, along with other
public researchers and a wide range
of industry partners, is working to
establish therapeutic health claims on
several other foods or food ingredients,
including whole grains and pulses, as
well as flax, hemp and canola oil. These
foods are thought to provide an array of
benefits, ranging from cardiovascular
disease and diabetes prevention to
weight management and improved
digestive health. The goal of these
health claims is not only to provide food
processors and manufacturers with new,
health-conscious marketing tools, but,
more importantly, to provide education
and guidance to consumers on healthy
food choices.
Wheat is still looking for its first health
claim in Canada. It is a healthy cereal
grain, said Ames, and has potential for
a couple of therapeutic health claims
if the supporting research data can be
assembled to meet Health Canada
criteria. In Europe, for example, the
European Food Safety Authority has
approved a health claim for wheat bran
and its value in speeding digestion
leading to, in more specific terms,
“accelerated intestinal transit.” As
well, there is another health claim for
arabinoxylan, a soluble fibre extract
from wheat that has value in reducing
blood glucose.
“These are two examples of the
potential health claims in wheat we
need to look at,” said Ames. “There is
lots of evidence supporting the good
nutrition of wheat; the work just needs
to be done to pull the research and
evidence together to support a health
claim in Canada.”
The Food Issue
2014
Grains
West
42
“People are becoming
more aware of what
foods they eat, and are
interested in the health
benefits of different
foods.”
–Brooke Bulloch