New functional milk combines omega-3s and plant sterols

The new HeartRight fat free milk, which also contains 25% more calcium and protein than whole milk, contains 0.4g of plant sterols per serving (just under the 0.5g/serving recently proposed by the FDA in controversial new rules ​governing claims on sterols).

While other heart healthy bioactives such as omega-3s and beta glucans had attracted more column inches lately, plant sterols delivered a level of LDL cholesterol reduction that was hard to match with other ingredients, Pam Stauffer, global marketing programs manager, Cargill Health & Nutrition told NutraIngredients-USA.

Low usage level vs omega-3s or soy protein​

She added: “Plant sterols are also easy to incorporate into a variety of applications across many food categories. They have a low usage level, no impact on flavor and have low functionality. This is appealing when you consider the negative flavor impact of some heart healthy ingredients. ​

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“Additionally, they are backed by an FDA heart health claim with efficacious results of 8-15% reduction in LDL cholesterol. The low usage level also aids in the absence of flavor or functionality. ​

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“Compared to 6.25g soy protein per serving or 500 – 1,000 mg fish oil per day, plant sterols are the top choice for heart healthy formulations.”​

 Dec 2010 FDA Phytosterol proposed rule ​

Cargill is one of several companies that has raised concerns ​about proposed changes ​to the rules governing phytosterols and cardiovascular health claims recently proposed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The new rules - set to come into force in February - would broaden the use of such claims on foods but prevent their use on supplements containing non-esterified or 'free' phytosterols. They also proposed increasing the quantity of phytosterols per serving from 0.4g to 0.5g in order to make a claim.

Cargill, which supplies phytosterols in esterified and free forms, said the FDA had not given firms enough time to change labels and formulations or seek the necessary regulatory approvals given that GRAS applications for foods containing Corowise had been made on the basis of a lower level of fortification.