KANSAS CITY — Here’s hardly a controversial statement: Iron, calcium and folic acid, along with other vitamins and minerals, are healthy additions to consumers’ diets. Processing may place these nutrients into bread, milk and other food items, giving the food industry a strong case in defending itself from negative comments about heavily processed food, which some call ultra-processed food (UPF).
A study involving researchers from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health covered this subject. The study followed over 200,000 consumers from the 1980s through the 2020s, finding that the overall quality of one’s diet was strongly associated with their risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and death. Researchers used the Nova classification system to categorize the processing levels of food consumed. The associations with diseases did not appear to substantially differ based on food processing levels.
While many ultra-processed foods are high in added sugars, sodium and refined carbohydrates, according to the study, others like fortified breakfast cereal, whole grain products, canned beans or plant-based dairy provide nutrients, fiber and antioxidants and other beneficial compounds. Results of the study were to be presented July 28 in Washington at NUTRITION 2026, a meeting of the American Society for Nutrition, a professional organization for nutrition research scientists and clinicians.
“Advising people to universally avoid ultra-processed foods can lead to lower diet quality, since healthy ultra-processed foods are beneficial and unhealthy minimally processed foods are detrimental,” said Xiaowen Wang, PhD, a postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. “People should prioritize the quality of foods rather than focusing solely on the level of processing. Aim for more nutrient-dense, high-quality foods to help lower your risk of chronic diseases.”
Breakfast cereal examples this year came from the WK Kellogg Co, Battle Creek, Mich. The company in May rolled out its SPOONS on-pack nutrition framework nationally for brands such as Kellogg’s All-Bran, Kellogg’s Corn Flakes, Kellogg’s Frosted Mini-Wheats, Kellogg’s Raisin Bran and Kellogg’s Rice Krispies. SPOONS is an acronym for simple ingredients, protein, outstanding fiber, other nutritious foods, nutrients you need and single-digit sugars. Nutrients include fiber, whole grains, iron and folate. Milk, when paired with cereal, adds calcium and vitamin D, according to WK Kellogg.
Then in July, WK Kellogg introduced a new selection of cereals called Kellogg’s Super Stars that will be available for schoolchildren from kindergarten through high school. Each 1-oz serving is a good source of fiber and vitamin D and an excellent source of seven vitamins and minerals, according to WK Kellogg. The cereal line comes in star-shaped pieces in Celebration Crunch, Cinnamon Crunch, Fruity Crunch and Honey Crunch varieties.
White bread contains its share of vitamins and minerals, too. The US Food and Drug Administration mandates that enriched flour must contain iron as well as B vitamins thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3) and folic acid (B9).
“Since refined flour has been enriched for decades, consumers who read labels are accustomed to seeing B vitamins such as thiamin, riboflavin and niacin, and minerals such as iron, zinc, magnesium and calcium, either in ingredient lists or as part of the Nutrition Facts panel on product packaging,” said Erin Ball, executive director of the Grain Foods Foundation (GFF), Washington. “It could be argued that grain foods have been providing these nutrients for so long and so consistently that consumers aren’t actually looking for them anymore — they may be assuming. Many consumers today are also looking to grain-based foods as sources of fiber and folic acid.”
She added that the enrichment and fortification of refined grain products in the United States have resulted in improvements in micronutrient and associated diet quality, the near elimination of B vitamin deficiency-related diseases in the United States, and significant reductions in the prevalence of neural tube defects.
Waiting on UPF definition
Over a year ago, the US Department of Health and Human Services and the US Department of Agriculture requested data and information to help develop a uniform definition of UPFs. Those in the industry responded to the request, which was found in the July 25, 2025, Federal Register, but a federal definition had yet to be offered as of late July.
“While the topic of ultra-processed foods continues to gather momentum in advocacy and social circles around the globe, it’s important to note that several countries have found the science to be insufficient to issue evidence-based dietary guidelines related to level of food processing,” Ball said in her comments. “Specifically, the United Kingdom, Canada and Nordic countries have chosen to emphasize nutrient content instead.”
Other comments from the grain industry brought up vitamins and minerals.
Sorghum provides essential nutrients, including protein, fiber, phosphorus, zinc, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, selenium, copper, iron, magnesium and manganese, said Lanier Dabruzzi, director of nutrition and food innovation for National Sorghum Producers, Lubbock, Texas, in her comments.
Sorghum provides essential nutrients, including protein, fiber, phosphorus, zinc, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, selenium, copper, iron, magnesium and manganese.
| Photo: ©KATRINESHINE – STOCK.ADOBE.COM“Beyond basic nutrition, sorghum supports overall health,” she said. “Its fiber and resistant starch contribute to healthy digestion and blood sugar regulation, while its protein, zinc, selenium and copper may promote immune function. Sorghum is also a natural source of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that research suggests may help reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease and diabetes, while certain bioactive compounds may support healthy blood pressure, cholesterol levels and even mood.”
Dabruzzi concluded, “Food processing is a cornerstone of the American food supply, offering numerous benefits such as enhanced safety, improved nutrition, greater convenience and increased affordability. When consumed as part of a healthy and balanced diet, processed grains, like sorghum, play a valuable role.”
White rice has had the bran and germ layers removed, while brown rice has the bran and germ layers intact, said Cameron Jacobs, vice president of domestic promotion for the USA Rice Federation, Arlington, Va., in his comments. Processing then improves the nutritional profile of white rice.
“By adding back thiamine (B1 vitamin), niacin (B3 vitamin), iron and folic acid (B9 vitamin), the white rice nutritional profile is similar to that of whole grain brown rice, that affordably delivers essential vitamins and minerals with shorter cook times and has been demonstrated to greatly reduce neural tube defects in infants,” he said.
One cup of cooked enriched rice supplies about 25% of the Daily Value of folic acid and about 15% of the Daily Value of iron, Jacobs added. For other benefits, enriched white rice offers natural protection to reduce rates of anemia, and infants offered enriched white rice were shown to have a 27% reduced risk of ADHD, he said.
Susan J. Kressly, MD, of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Washington, pointed out how processed foods may differ.
“UPFs are difficult to define in a way that includes foods that have undergone significant processing while excluding processed foods that are healthful,” she said in her comments. “AAP has found that some foods that may be considered UPFs, such as ready-to-eat cereals, can provide valuable nutrients and serve as part of a nutritious dietary pattern, but other foods that may be considered UPFs are high in added sugars, sodium and refined starches, and low in fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals.”
What consumers look for
An International Food Information Council (IFIC) survey released in June found that 31% of respondents said they looked for vitamin and mineral information on product packaging when grocery shopping, ranking behind calories at 45%, total sugars at 44%, protein at 42%, sodium at 41% and added sugars at 39% but ahead of the ingredients list and total fat, both at 30%, total carbohydrates at 29%, serving size at 27%, cholesterol at 23%, saturated fat at 22%, trans fat at 21% and dietary fiber at 20%.
“Consumers prioritize familiar nutrients, with vitamins D and C leading demand for immune, bone, cognitive and metabolic health,” said Amr Shaheed, commercial development manager for Innophos, Cranbury, NJ. “Calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc are the most sought-after minerals. In grain-based foods, B vitamins, folic acid and iron remain fortification staples, while vitamin D, magnesium and zinc are the fastest-growing additions, driven by consumer interest in immunity and metabolic health.”
Conventional fortification with vitamin and mineral premixes (the same mechanism behind enriched flour) dominates on cost and established supply chains, Shaheed said. Fortified flour is growing the fastest.
“The newer path uses more bioavailable or clean label forms and naturally nutrient-dense ingredients — for example, pulse-based flours that add protein along with iron, calcium, magnesium and zinc, or forms such as iron bis-glycinate and plant- or algae-sourced calcium,” he said.
As a word of caution, Shaheed said minerals may introduce off-flavors and oxidation in baked foods. Thus, processing needs to protect both nutrient levels and flavor. Attention also must be paid to regulatory issues and claims.
“Trace mineral safety standards are tightening, and health benefit claims must be scientifically supported,” he said.
Companies also must avoid over-fortification, since regulators watch the upper limits, Shaheed said.
Food products containing vitamins and minerals also may appeal to a growing consumer category — those taking GLP-1 medications.
“Because GLP-1 users eat less overall, every bite has to deliver more nutrition, which makes nutrient-dense grain foods a natural fit,” Shaheed said.
GFF’s Ball added, “Reduced food intake leaves GLP-1 users vulnerable to micronutrient deficiencies. Grain foods enriched with B vitamins and iron can help combat these deficiencies. Combined with fiber and potentially even added protein, grain-based (foods) are appropriate choices for providing nutrient-dense support to consumers on GLP-1 medications.”