NORTHFIELD, ILL. – Kraft Foods Inc plans to double the whole grain content of its Nabisco cracker brands. By 2013, the company said Nabisco crackers will contribute more than 9 billion servings of whole grain to American diets each year.

“Nine out of 10 Americans eat less than the recommended daily amount of whole grains," said Rhonda Jordan, president of global health and wellness for Kraft Foods. “And a growing number of consumers are trying to increase their consumption of whole grains. By significantly increasing the amount of whole grain in our crackers, we’re giving them an easy, delicious way to get the whole grain they need in the foods they already enjoy.”

Kraft Foods began to transition its cracker portfolio in August 2009 when it increased the whole grain content of its Original and Reduced-Fat Wheat Thins from 5 grams to 11 grams per 31-gram serving. The company said it plans to increase whole grain in more than 100 products over the next three years, including: doubling the amount of whole grain in Original Wheat Thins from 11 grams to 22 grams per serving; more than tripling the amount in Wheat Thins Toasted Chips from 5 grams to 17 grams per serving; quadrupling the amount in Honey Maid Original Graham Crackers from 5 grams to 20 grams per serving; and adding whole grain to Premium and Ritz crackers.

The company said it has spent four years assessing flour milling technology, recipe development and testing to find ways to add more whole grain to the cracker brands.

“It was critical for us to get the recipe right to deliver the benefits of whole grain without sacrificing the taste consumers expect from their favorite crackers,” said Carlos Abrams Rivera, vice-president for Nabisco crackers. “Just adding whole grain can change a product's flavor and, in the case of crackers, can make them denser and grittier. But the combination of the right recipe and ingredients can help us maintain delicious taste and texture while adding significant levels of whole grain.”