(4) Cereals have a mild taste and a semi-solid texture and consistency, which is adequate for the transition from milk toward the acceptation of solid foods at the beginning of complementary feeding.
During weaning, clear changes in the infant’s gut microbiota have been observed upon the addition of either wheat, sorghum, rice, or oats into a large intestine in vitro, and a higher proportion of complex carbohydrates in infant cereals has been shown to lead to a higher fermentative activity of the intestinal microbiota of infants aged six to 10 months in vivo. (3) Cereals provide non-digestible carbohydrates, which are mainly responsible for the development of an ‘adult-like’ microbiota by increasing the Bacteroides population. Therefore, the provision of infant cereals is effective at the beginning of complementary feeding, when the infant’s iron stores are depleting. (2) Cereals are an optimal vehicle for iron fortification. Moreover, cereals provide a substantial amount of carbohydrates (starch and fiber) and proteins, but are also a source of vitamins, minerals, and bioactive compounds. (1) Cereals are an excellent source of energy, which is very important at the age of six months when exclusively breastfeeding is no longer sufficient to cover the nutritional requirements of the infant. The choice to provide infant cereals as the first food during weaning can be explained for several reasons (see Figure 1). In many countries, infant cereals are among the first foods that are introduced at the beginning of the complementary feeding period. Infant cereals are defined as “processed cereal-based foods” that are divided into “simple cereals which are or have to be reconstituted with milk or other appropriate nutritious liquids” or “cereals with an added high protein food which are or have to be reconstituted with water or another protein-free liquid”. Cereal grains represent the most important source of the world’s total food. Pseudocereals as amaranth, quinoa, and buckwheat are often included within the true cereals, because of their similar nutritional profiles and uses. They include maize, rye, sorghum, millets, wheat, rice, barley, oats, and teff. The complementary feeding period is absolutely key in shaping the infant’s food preferences and habits therefore, it is the appropriate stage in life at which to introduce whole grain cereals for the acceptance of whole grains across the entire lifespan.Ĭereals, also called grains, refer to the crops that are harvested for dry grain only and belong to the Gramineae family of grasses.
Yet, the greatest challenge may be to drive consumers’ acceptance, including taste. Another challenge is minimizing the higher contaminant content in whole grains, as well as those formed during processing. Recommendations are needed for the intake of whole grain cereals for infants and young children, including product-labeling guidelines for whole grain foods targeting these age stages.
However, there are several challenges that food manufacturers are facing that need to be addressed. Whole grain cereals should be consumed as early as possible, i.e., during infancy. Likewise, consumers are frequently linking the term whole grains to healthiness and naturality, and sustainable food production becomes a more important aspect when choosing an infant cereal brand. Accumulating evidence shows many benefits of whole grain consumption for human health. The aim of this study was to review existing research about the quantity, type, and degree of infant cereal processing, with a special focus on whole grain infant cereals. Infant cereals play an important role in the complementary feeding period.
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