Consumer and food industry personnel understanding and perceptions of food processing related to whole grains

Results:

Consumers generally used whole–refined grain comparisons to gauge level of processing, perceiving whole grains as less processed. While some suggested processing elements, such as additives may influence their food choices, healthfulness was typically judged based on the presence or absence of certain nutrients. Often, other drivers of behaviour took precedence (for example, cost, familial preferences, and culinary skills). Food industry personnel viewed food processing as complex but oversimplified in current food processing classification systems. They considered that while some processed foods can be unhealthful, this does not apply to all processed foods. They emphasised the importance of holistic consumer education including that processing needs to be considered together with the foods nutritional composition to help consumers differentiate between less healthy and ‘healthier’ processed foods (for example, a highly processed refined grain food with added fats and sugars, and a fortified whole-grain product).