An Audit of Australian Bread with a Focus on Loaf Breads and Whole Grain

Abstract

Bread is a vehicle for a range of nutrients within the Australian diet, but has been the target of negative press. The aim of this study was to examine bread products, particularly white, whole grain and gluten-free loaves, including nutrients, health claims and Health Star Rating (HSR). An audit of four supermarkets and a bakery franchise (2017) was compared with 2014 data. Median and range was calculated for whole grain content, dietary fibre, sodium, protein, carbohydrate and sugar. Of all breads (n = 456), 29% were eligible to make a whole grain claim with 27% very high in whole grain (≥24 g/serve), an 18% increase from 2014. Within loaves (n = 243), 40% were at least a source of whole grain (≥8 g/serve), 79% were at least a source of dietary fibre, 54% met the sodium reformulation target (≤400 mg/100 g), 78% were a ‘source’ and 20% were a ‘good source’ of protein (10 g/serve), and 97% were low in sugar. Despite significant differences between loaves for all nutrients assessed, HSR did not differ between white and whole grain varieties. Compared to 2014, there were 20 fewer white loaves and 20 additional whole grain loaves which may assist more Australians achieve the 48g whole grain daily target intake.