Four Whole-Grain Biscuits Fail Safety and Quality Test, Il Salvagente Says

Laboratory Tests Expose Acrylamide and Contaminants in Breakfast Biscuits

Four out of 16 popular whole-grain and semi-whole-grain breakfast biscuits tested by Il Salvagente failed safety and quality evaluations, greenMe reported on October 9, 2026. The laboratory analysis, conducted by the University of Federico II in Naples, scrutinized well-known brands including Mulino Bianco, Balocco, Doria, Pavesi, Lidl, Coop, and Carrefour for nutritional profiles, undesirable ingredients, and chemical contaminants.

The testing uncovered elevated levels of acrylamide. This chemical substance forms naturally when starch-rich foods like biscuits, bread, and cereals are baked or toasted at high temperatures through the Maillard reaction. While average levels in whole-grain biscuits remained comparable to traditional white-flour products, several samples crossed 140 micrograms per kilogram. That pushed close to the 150-microgram limit indicated for children. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies the substance as a probable human carcinogen.

Contaminant assessments also tracked mycotoxins such as deossinivalenolo and zearalenone, which generally stayed beneath legal thresholds. However, emerging toxins including enniatins appeared in non-negligible quantities across multiple packages.

Lack of Regulations Allows Fiber Gaps in Bread

Dietary fiber across the evaluated products ranged dramatically from 4.5 grams per 100 grams in Oro Saiwa Cruscoro up to 11 grams in Galbusera Più integrali.

Il Salvagente highlighted the absence of precise Italian regulations governing the term “integrale.” Manufacturers frequently mix refined flour with bran or wheat middlings rather than utilizing the 70 to 75 percent true whole-grain flour found in Carrefour Original Frollini integrali and Lidl Fior di integrale Realforno.

The Four Failing Brands and Their Scores

Four specific products earned insufficient ratings based on their overall quality, ingredient lists, and contaminant loads:

• Oro Saiwa Cruscoro recorded low fiber alongside palm oil, glucose-fructose syrup, and calcium phosphates, with acrylamide at 132 micrograms per kilogram, deossinivalenolo at 101 micrograms per kilogram, and enniatins A1, B, and B1 registering at 3, 40, and 7 micrograms per kilogram respectively.
• Doria Bucaneve Ciocco Integrale was penalized for palm oil and high sugar content, showing acrylamide at 142 micrograms per kilogram alongside detectable zearalenone and enniatin B1.
• McVitie’s Digestives Integrali received a 5.5 score due to palm oil and a high salt content of 1.5 grams per 100 grams, accompanied by 126 micrograms per kilogram of acrylamide and varying levels of enniatins.
• Gentilini Piaceri con farina integrale combined elevated sugars with the highest acrylamide measurement among the rejected items at 168 micrograms per kilogram, alongside deossinivalenolo and enniatins.

The Reality of Zero-Sugar Alternatives

The testing also evaluated zero-sugar alternatives. The results revealed that switching to sugar-free versions of traditional biscuits often saves a mere 30 calories per 100 grams while substituting alternative ingredients to maintain taste, fragrance, and texture in the dough.

Il Salvagente published the full comparative findings on October 9, 2026, providing shoppers with detailed data on ingredient quality and contaminant exposure in everyday breakfast aisles.