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...
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...
Frankfort, IL-based HyPhyto has announced the self-affirmed GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status of its CardioCare phytosterol for use in functional foods and beverages.
Supplement maker ProCaps Laboratories has weighed into the row over whether dietary supplements containing ‘free’ non-esterified phytosterols should be allowed to make coronary heart disease risk reduction claims.
Supplement makers with products containing free phytosterols should not be prevented from making heart health claims if they can prove their formulations are effective, the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) has argued.
Three more firms have followed Cargill’s lead and submitted petitions to the FDA urging it to rethink plans to amend the criteria for making health claims about phytosterols and heart disease or risk causing “irreparable injury”.
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?
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.
In an arrangement where university researchers will supply ideas to
industry, Corazonas Foods has paired up in an exclusive deal with
Brandeis University for use of the institution's technology in
heart-healthy snacks.
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...
Phyto-Source has announced a significant expansion of its pine tree
sterol production capacity for the second time in one year, due in
large part to EU demand for its product.
Using phytosterol and stanol enriched margarines in everyday life
stabilises cholesterol levels in a free-living population, and
concerns over adverse effects seem unfounded with lower than
recommended intakes being observed.
Two Korean companies, Eugene Science and RexGene Biotech, have
entered into a contract to develop, produce and market a new
supplement containing Eugene Science's proprietary
cholesterol-lowering ingredient CZ in their own country...
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...
Canadian sterol maker Forbes Medi-Tech is seeing sustained demand
for its plant sterols, announcing today the renewal of a major
supply agreement with an unnamed multinational firm.
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,...
Agribusiness Bunge last week announced the formation of an alliance
with Procter & Gamble and Peter Cremer North America to produce
and market cholesterol-reducing phytosterol ingredients for
pharmaceuticals and foods.
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.
Canadian sterol manufacturer Forbes Medi-Tech has significantly cut
its losses after sales of the cholesterol-lowering ingredient shot
up more than 80 per cent during 2003.
The European Commission this week granted approval for several new
foods with added phytosterols, set to significantly expand the
number of cholesterol-lowering foods available in Europe.
Canada's Forbes Medi-Tech is hoping that a new distribution deal
coupled with new findings on the benefits of lowering cholesterol
will boost sales of its key product Reducol.
Strong growth in revenues has improved working capital at
phytosterol maker Forbes Medi-Tech this year, which should help
further growth in the nutraceutical activities.
Cholesterol-beating ingredients continue to please the market with
innovative Canadian company Forbes Medi-Tech reporting a strong set
of figures for the first six months of the year. Revenues for the
period rose 29 per cent from...
FDA approval for use of the phytosterol heart-health claim has
given Canadian company Forbes Medi-Tech a major boost for its
cholesterol-lowering ingredient Reducol.
Plant sterols company Forbes Medi-Tech said this week it has begun
shipments under the recently announced agreement between its
manufacturing joint venture, Phyto-Source, and a large
multinational company, which was not named.
