Milling & Baking News - August 25, 2020 - 42

Industry Activities

that nutrition plays a significant role in those healthy outcomes. We emphasize the importance of eating folic acid
fortified foods, such as enriched breads, cereals, enriched
pasta, milled rice and tortillas before conception occurs, to
prevent neural tube defects.
"We explain that the critical period is in the early weeks
of pregnancy, often before the patient knows that she is
pregnant, so folic acid enriched foods should be part of
the daily diet. Since many women are iron deficient, we
explain the critical role iron has in meeting the increased
demand during pregnancy, to form maternal and fetal
blood. We try to recommend appropriate weight gain
and encourage proper nutrition during pregnancy as
crucial for healthy women and babies. "
Dr. Young's observations were at odds with findings
in the DGAC scientific study, which encouraged women
of childbearing age to consume more whole grains and
avoid enriched grains.
Turning to research he has conducted on the subject,
Dr. Young described a study of 250 women given a defined pregnancy diet with the study group split between
those consuming a 75% whole grain diet and those consuming a 75% enriched grain diet. He said the diets otherwise were the same. The study featured a number of
compliance measures.
The study found no "difference in outcomes for maternal and neonatal parameters between the diets with
regards to maternal weight gain, birth weights, Apgar
scores, subcutaneous fat, hypertension, pre-eclampsia,

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and glucose tolerance," he said. Both groups gained
weight appropriate for pregnancy.
Dr. Young gave considerable emphasis to the importance of dietary fiber in diets, noting that in the study the
two groups consumed similar amounts of fiber each day
- 30 grams for the whole grains group and 25 grams for
the enriched grains group.
"Our data show that in pregnancy both diets - enriched refined grains and whole grains - contain sufficient fiber and nutrition to result in healthy outcomes,
with no significant outcome differences between them,"
he said.
The ramifications from his research extend beyond recommendations for pregnant women, Dr. Young said.
"Besides pregnancy, all grains, enriched refined and
whole, are valuable contributors to our health," he said.
"To help combat the obesity epidemic, Americans need
clear dietary guidance based on strong evidence from
randomized controlled studies." MBN

IBA objects to three-year
trial period for
breadbasket checkoff
WASHINGTON - Nicholas A. Pyle, president of the Independent Bakers Association, on Aug. 13 submitted a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue in which the
group "urgently requests the Department" not move forward with a proposed breadbasket checkoff program as a
delayed referendum.
"Our understanding until recent discussions with AMS
(Agricultural Marketing Service) Livestock and Poultry offices was the entire program would only go forward subject
to an upfront vote by industry requirement support from at
least 80% of the bakers meeting threshold 750,000 cwt flour
usage," Mr. Pyle said.
He said that members of the IBA that would be subject
to checkoff assessments would be sending
letters to the Department requesting the "upfront 80% vote" or that the program be tabled
indefinitely.
Plans for the referendum to follow a threeyear trial were announced and discussed in a
town-hall discussion in April 2019 during the
annual meeting of the American Bakers As- Pyle
sociation. At any point during the three-year
trial period the checkoff board may call for a referendum.
For a referendum to pass, it must receive votes in favor
by more than 50% of the market volume and at least 50%
plus one participant.
Regarding the statute, Christine Cochran, executive director of the Grain Foods Foundation, said the 1996 Commodity, Promotion, Research and Information Act delineates the passage requirements for a referendum are a
simple majority of assessed interests. Mandating an 80%
majority would require rewriting the Act governing all
checkoff programs.
"My chairman, Dan Mulloy of 151 Foods, considers a
new bread tax by delayed referendum nothing short of
taxation without representation," Mr. Pyle said.
He said the IBA will share its concerns at a later time about
launching the checkoff on baked foods during a period of rising food inflation and food insecurity and amid a pandemic. MBN
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Milling & Baking News - August 25, 2020

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