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Cereal maker seeks OK for anti-cancer claim
June 3, 1997
Web posted at: 8:10 p.m. EDT (0010 GMT)
In this story:
- Kellogg: 'Benefits of wheat bran'
- Critic: 'The evidence ... is not really in'
- Related stories and sites
From Correspondent Eugenia Halsey
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Kellogg Co., believing that its breakfast cereals high in wheat bran fiber can reduce the risk of colon cancer, has asked for government permission to say that on the box.
Colon cancer is the No. 2 cancer killer in the United States; 50,000 people die from it each year.
Kellogg's request would apply to three of its cereals: All Bran, Raisin Brain and Complete Bran Flakes, all of them high in wheat bran or whole wheat.
The company has petitioned the Food and Drug Administration to let it say something like this on cereal boxes: "A low fat diet high in wheat bran fiber may reduce the risk of some types of cancer, particularly colon cancer."
Kellogg: 'Benefits of wheat bran'
The petition summarizes "some 100 studies, over 25 years of research from around the world that looked at the benefits of wheat bran and its role as part of a low fat diet to reduce the risk of cancer," said Victor Fulgoni of Kellogg.
The cereal maker says scientists think wheat bran acts like a sponge, absorbing acids believed to promote tumors and carrying them out of the body.
Adults need about 12 grams of wheat fiber per day to have a beneficial effect against colon cancer, Kellogg says, adding that a product should contain at least 3 grams of wheat bran fiber per serving to qualify as a cancer-fighter.
This translates to about 3 tablespoons of All Bran or a half-cup of Raisin Bran.
Critic: 'The evidence ... is not really in'
The Center for Science in the Public Interest, a nutrition watchdog group, is opposed to Kellogg's request. It says singling out wheat bran would give people the impression they no longer have to worry about eating fruits and vegetables, which may offer more protection.
"The evidence on wheat bran and cancer is not really in," argues the center's Bruce Silverglade.
"It's true that diets that are overall high in fruits and vegetables and some types of cereal grains may reduce the risk of cancer, but there's simply not enough evidence on wheat bran alone," Silverglade told CNN.
The American Cancer Society has no position on Kellogg's request. A spokesman says what matters most is the overall diet.
As for the labeling issue, the FDA has six months to decide whether it's going to accept Kellogg's request.
Related stories:
- Researchers identify gene linked to deadly cancers - March 28, 1997
- Cancer death rates drop - November 13, 1996
Related sites:
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- Welcome to Kellogg's¨ Airport!
- American Cancer Society
- Center for Science in the Public Interest - Home Page
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