For ingredients with a solid body of scientific substantiation for their cholesterol management claims, plant sterols perhaps do not get the attention they deserve from consumers and healthcare practitioners. BASF is seeking to change the conversation...
A new water-dispersible and palm-free plant sterol could save manufacturers time and money in production, says Lipofoods ahead of the new ingredients launch.
While plant sterol esters have a bigger effect on lowering cholesterol than oat beta-glucans, they can come with unwanted side effects including weight gain and microbiome disturbance, finds a new study.
Cargill and FDA have jointly announced a new validated method for measuring the levels of plant sterols and stanols in foods and dietary supplements. The method, developed over a number of years, is simpler, more accurate and less prone to error, experts...
On September 1 a Hamburg court will on the case brought by FoodWatch against Unilever over marketing for its cholesterol-lowering margarine Becel pro.activ.
Sanofi-Aventis has said the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) rejection of its application to broaden the already approved sterol-stanols cholesterol lowering claim to powdered supplements won’t affect the company commercially, but they will be...
Less than 75mg of caffeine per serving does not increase alertness, and the cholesterol-lowering ability of plant sterols cannot be communicated in food supplements, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has found in two new opinions.
Plant sterol leader Unilever will soon be able to expand its plant sterol-fortified, cholesterol-lowering Pro.activ range into home cooking and baking oils, if a positive opinion is mandated across the EU.
Dietary intake of phytosterol blends, mainly containing stigmasterol, could be beneficial in preventing Alzheimer's disease, according to new research in mice.
Cholesterol-busting plant sterol and stanol products – worth about €2.5bn globally – will have to carry warning labels in the European Union from next February.
Unilever has applied to UK authorities for EU novel foods approval for its cholesterol-lowering phytosterol esters in liquid vegetable fats used in home cooking and baking.
A new Spanish study suggests that fruit and milk-based fruit beverages are suitable vehicles for plant-based sterols, after detecting low sample levels of potentially harmful compounds called ‘POPs’.
Kraft Foods has urged Australasian authorities to remove restrictions on the package size of low-fat cheese enriched with phytosterol esters – less than two years after calling for their implementation.
European Union-approved plant sterol cholesterol-lowering foods made by Unilever have been dragged into German courts after a consumer group questioned their safety.
The stability of plant sterols in functional foods for cholesterol reduction is high, says a new study from Spain which adds to the safety data surrounding phytosterols.
In the final part of our special focus on heart health, NutraIngredients looks at supply of select ingredients: Who are the key suppliers, and what options are available?
Henry Hussell, the head of marketing, Europe at Cargill Health and Nutrition, acknowledges the development of its plant sterols and beta glucan has been slower than many expected – but that doesn’t mean the agrofood giant has lost faith in them.
UK TV ads promoting a heart health measurement service on the website for Unilever’s plant sterol, cholesterol-lowering pro.activ range, have been backed by Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has recommended that Kraft be given approval for plans to use plant sterols in reduced fat cheese but no final permission has been given.
Kraft Foods is a step closer to becoming the first company to win approval to use plant sterols in reduced fat cheese in New Zealand and Australia after a positive regulatory assessment.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has issued an opinion on plant sterol and plant stanol ingredients to assist risk managers across the European Union to implement cholesterol-lowering claims.
A seminar to be held in the UK in July will investigate those consumers in the 40 to 60-year-old age bracket who are starting “to think seriously about preserving or improving their health.”
Phytosterol-enriched foods are efficacious for reducing levels of LDL cholesterol, with no differences between stanols and sterols, or delivery in fat or non fat foods, says a new review.
Cognis has won hard-to-come-by approval from the Australian Thepareutic Goods Administration (TGA) to use its anti-cholesterol, plant sterol ester ingredient, Vegepure, in food supplements.
The €400m European cholesterol-lowering, plant sterol market has a
new entrant after a non-GMO, soy-derived sterol ingredient was
yesterday approved for use within the European Union.
An agreement has been reached between Raisio and Unilever to grant
non-exclusive global rights to a number of plant sterol and stanol
patents - a move which will allow both companies to develop their
business and applications and...
Naturis has asked the Food Standards Agency to approve the use of
phytosterols - which have been linked to having a positive effect
on lowering cholesterol - from soya bean seeds.
Cargill has joined forces with one of the country's largest grocery
stores to develop and launch a range of fat-free milk containing
branded Corowise plant sterols across the US - a range
that is claimed to be the first of its...
Demand for plant sterol ingredients continues to grown according to
manufacturer Phyto-Source, who has announced it is clearing up
production bottlenecks to make room for more supply.
Chinese ingredients supplier Fenchem has received novel foods
notification for its Cholevel plant sterols in the EU, opening up
the way for the ingredient's direct use in foods.
Alltracel has slashed its operating losses in first half 2006 and
continues to seek partners and acquisitions - a plan that may, at
some stage, involve teaming up with plant sterol or omega-3
suppliers.
Products containing Forbes Medi-Tech's Reducol plant sterols have
proved popular in Finnish supermarket Kesko - so much so that it is
expanding its Pirkko range to include a non-dairy margarine.
Forbes Medi-Tech has reported an increase in sales of its Reducol
branded sterols in Q2 2006 by 32 per cent compared to last year,
but losses deepen with dearer development, marketing and sales
costs.
European functional food makers have another source of phytosterols
to choose from, now that Procter & Gamble's Nutraphyl branded
sterols and sterol-esters have been given the green light for use
in the EU under novel foods...
Sales of phytosterols in Europe are predicted to more than double
by 2012, but companies need to turn consumer awareness into
understanding and acceptance, says a new report from Frost and
Sullivan.
Cholesterol-lowering plant sterols look set to appear in more
product categories in Europe, since the EC Commission has given the
green-light for their use in dietary supplements and rye breads.
Forbes Medi-Tech has completed the sale of its 50 percent share in
Phyto-Source, its sterol manufacturing joint venture with Chusei
(USA) to Chusei Oil Co for US$25 million, and plans to use the
proceeds to develop more nutraceutical...
The UK's biggest supermarket, Tesco, is introducing its own plant
sterol-containing dairy range next month, offering a cheaper
alternative to the leading cholesterol-lowering brands.
Companies extracting sterols from pine trees are looking for a
greater share of Europe's cholesterol-lowering foods market,
exploiting the challenges faced by producers of vegetable
oil-derived sterols.
Specialty chemicals supplier Cognis said on Friday that it had
opened a €20 million facility for increased production of its plant
sterols and CLA, writes Dominique Patton.
Stronger demand for chemicals lifted sales across all business
units at Cognis, the Germany company said this week, with one of
the best performances from its health ingredients division
confirming the group's focus on wellness,...
Coca-Cola Services S.A. has applied to the UK's novel foods
committee seeking approval to market fruit juices, fruit nectars
and tomato juice with added plant sterols.
An innovative technology that allows for the addition of both plant
sterols and minerals to foods has won the backing of leading US
food manufacturer General Mills, which has licensed the product for
use in a range of foods.
Canadian company Forbes Medi-Tech said yesterday that it had
secured a sterols sales agreement for $24.4 million over a
three-year period beginning in January 2005.
A new phytosterol ingredient, said by its Swedish manufacturer to
represent the 'second generation' of phytosterol ingredients, has
been given the go-ahead for use on the European market.
The Korean biotech company Eugene Science has teamed up with Archer
Daniels Midlands (ADM), giving ADM the marketing rights in Europe
and North America for Eugene Science's Euchol phytosterol
technology.