August 16/Downers Grove, Ill./Business Wire -- Sara Lee North American Fresh Bakery is reformulating the recipes of its two most popular breads - Sara Lee Soft & Smooth Made with Whole Grain White bread and Sara Lee Soft & Smooth 100% Whole Wheat bread. The high-fructose corn syrup in both breads also has been removed and includes sugar only. In addition, Sara Lee Soft & Smooth 100% Whole Wheat now includes vitamin D and is considered an excellent source of calcium.

"Sara Lee Soft & Smooth breads are among the best selling breads in the U.S., and our core audience, parents with children, has indicated that they want product options without high-fructose corn syrup," said Jeff Dryfhout, director, Sara Lee North American Fresh Bakery. "With this new recipe Sara Lee Soft & Smooth bread is responding to the needs of our consumers while continuing to provide great-tasting breads with the mild taste and soft texture families love."

Per a company press release, Sara Lee Soft & Smooth Made with Whole Grain White bread promises to give consumers:
* A good source of fiber
* A good source of vitamin D
* 10g of whole grain per two-slice serving

Sara Lee Soft & Smooth 100% Whole Wheat bread with Calcium & Vitamin D touts:
* An excellent source of whole grain with 26g per two-slice serving
* An excellent source of calcium
* A good source of vitamin D

"High-fructose corn syrup has been on the minds of many. While health organizations note no difference in how high-fructose corn syrup and sugar are metabolized in the body, this removal provides options to moms and the overall consumer who prefer products made with sugar only," said Connie Diekman, M.Ed, RD, LD, FADA and former president of the American Dietetic Association.

Average suggested retail pricing for both Sara Lee Soft & Smooth 100% Whole Wheat bread and Sara Lee Soft & Smooth Made with Whole Grain White bread will remain the same at $2.79 (varies by region of the country).

From the August 30, 2010, Prepared Foods E-dition