an independent measure of whole grain intake in observational studies in humans. Metabolomics has emerged as a new approach to address health effects and to find new biomarkers of both dietary exposures and health effects related to whole grain intake. Several metabolomics studies have been published recently to achieve better understanding of health effects underlying whole grain consumption. Such studies have recently shown a modest effect on microbial composition after whole grain/high‐fibre cereal intake, which suggested several new mechanisms on why whole grain rye may have particular effects on insulin metabolism. Genomics have been applied in several large‐scale intervention studies and have provided new knowledge on how gene expression profiles cause changes in response to whole grain intake. This will be of importance for the overall understanding of the physiological responses in relation to whole grain intake. Moreover, new bioactive compounds in whole grains and whole grain fractions have been identified and are currently studied. One example of such is the group of benzoxazinoids, which have recently been identified in whole wheat and rye grains and in bakery products of these cereals. These compounds, isolated from other sources or synthesized, have been studied for a number of bioactivities. Their uptake and elimination in animals and humans as well as their effects are currently extensively studied. Untargeted metabolomics approaches have facilitated the process of discovering new compounds. The role of gut microbiota for human health and disease has boomed the last 10 years, and important insights on the role of whole grains and dietary fibre and their interaction with gut microbiota for differential responses in human health outcomes have increased dramatically, although there is still much to improve concerning our understanding in this area. EU‐regulations on health claims have been adopted with consequences for whole grain consumption. No health claim is allowed for whole grains but several specific claims, including grain components (reflecting beneficial physiological effects and disease risk reduction claims related to certain fibres) are allowed. No current worldwide definition of whole grain intake exists, but new definitions of both whole grains and whole grain products have been suggested.
The structure, outline and style of this book is designed to provide a comprehensive treatise on the subject covering the topic from the grains themselves, their components and distribution in different botanical fractions and products to the effect of whole grains on health and the molecular mechanisms/effects on risk factors underlying their health effects. The book also highlights the interest from the food industry and governmental and non‐governmental authorities to develop new food products rich in whole grains as well as to educate consumers about the health benefits of consuming whole grain foods (the whole grain stamp is an example of this communication to the consumer and the whole grain campaigns launched in Denmark and The Netherlands are other examples). The chapters are comprehensive in their coverage with the aim to provide founded knowledge and information for researchers, research students, authority and industry personnel that gives them a multidisciplinary understanding of this important topic.
Recent advances will to a great extent be covered by the update of book chapters of the first edition. As in the previous edition, we divide the book into sections with a slight modification of the suggested sections. More emphasis will be put on the section “whole grains, cereal fibre and chronic disease” and “grain technology and health‐related outcomes,” whereas consumer aspects are given somewhat less attention compared with the first edition. We also provide comprehensive material on the whole grain morphology constituents, fractions and technology as well as products for readers coming from the medical or public‐health sectors. The book comprises 5 sections and concluding remarks and future perspectives. In total, 23 chapters are included (Table 1).
Table 1 Brief description of the content of the sections.
| Section | Content |
|---|---|
| Whole grain basics | Chemical composition and morphological structure of cereal grains and cereal fractions, such as bran, aleurone, germ and the endosperm, are described in detail as this is crucial for the understanding of physiological effects related to health. Differences and similarities among cereals are emphasized here. Important whole grain products are described with emphasis on traits and features that may be of importance for human health. This section also contains a chapter on the different definitions of whole grain and whole grain products. A chapter on consumption and description of lifestyle factors associated with whole grain intake as well as on tools for objective whole grain intake estimation through dietary biomarkers bridge this section to section two. |
| Evidences for disease prevention | The current literature on evidence for disease prevention derived from epidemiological – as well as intervention studies in humans and model – and animal studies have been reviewed and the evidence are evaluated in a systematic way focusing on the outcome of largest importance. Hard endpoints such as type 2 diabetes, CVD, cancer and mortality are at main focus in this section. |
| Whole grains mechanisms and effects on risk factors for chronic disease | This section bridges the section on whole grain basics and the section on chronic disease by discussing mechanisms and risk factors. This section contains chapters on whole grains and appetite, glycaemia, gut function as well as a chapter on bioactive compounds and effects that may be of relevance to human health. We have also included a chapter on potential negative aspects of whole grain consumption in which risk related to heavy metals, mycotoxins, acrylamide, gluten intolerance and wheat sensitivity are described and discussed. |
| Searching for new molecular mechanisms underlying health benefits of whole grains | In this section, the possibilities to use – OMICs to generate new hypotheses and to get better insights into new molecular mechanisms of the health effects of whole grains is presented. Metabolomics for discovery of new compounds and to monitor process changes in food products has been covered as well as its implementation in human studies to gain insights into molecular mechanisms and dissect biochemical pathways involved in processes with implication for health. Studies where changes in gene expression in response to interventions with whole grains in humans are also reviewed in a chapter. |
| Whole grains and the consumer | Barriers for whole grain consumption are at focus here. The industry’s commitment to whole grains has also been discussed by representatives from major enterprises in Europe and the United States. The current regulation and labeling have been covered as well as a chapter describing the current situation on health claims in Europe and the United States, and strategies for consumer communication. |
We hope that the current edition of Whole Grains and Health will be of use and great pleasure for researchers, research students, industry personnel, governmental authorities (nutritionists, technologists, product developers, epidemiologists, health professionals) and others with wider interest in foods and health!
Rikard Landberg and Nathalie Scheers
Gothenburg, Sweden, March 2020.
Editors’ Biographies
Editors’ Biographies
Nathalie Scheers Associate Professor Food and Nutrition Science Department of Biology and Biological Engineering Chalmers University of Technology Gothenburg, Sweden
Associate Professor Nathalie Scheers and her research team conduct studies in the area of molecular nutrition with particular focus on metals, specific proteins, bioactive molecules and their physiological effects, on cellular or systemic level.
A core competence of Dr. Scheers includes human cell models. She investigates
