Sustainable transition for cereal-based agri-food systems in China: Prospective advantages of whole-grain adoption

A dietary transition from refined to whole grains would optimize grain processing, reduce food loss and emissions, and increase food nutritional contents. The results of systematical analysis and calculations in our study show that the average processing loss rate of grains including rice, wheat, and maize is approximately 4.1% in China due to the refinement, equivalent to an annual loss of around 13.3 Mt of grains. Furthermore, the refining process significantly reduces the nutritional contents of rice (51.6%), wheat flour (55.4%), and corn products (80.4%) mainly resulting from the removal of dietary fiber, minerals, and vitamins in refined grains. Replacing refined grains with whole grains in diets would lower agricultural carbon emissions by 2.7%, reducing agricultural water use by 4.3%, and saving arable land by 1,972,607 ha. Total environmental footprint could be reduced by 35% to 79% under three proposed scenarios. These findings indicate that shifting toward whole grain-based diets by Chinese consumers could reduce food losses, enhance human health, and improve environmental sustainability. This approach offers a promising strategy for transitioning towards more resilient and sustainable agri-food systems, benefiting human and planetary health.