Cholesterol Reduction

Over the last year there has been a lot of activity in formulating products that claim to reduce cholesterol levels. "Various ingredients have been incorporated into foods and drinks with varying degrees of evidence to support their role in cholesterol reduction," said Leatherhead's Young. "Leading the way in the UK was the launch of Ribena Juice & Fibre from SmithKline Beecham, production of which has now ceased."

In Finland, Raisio's Benecol margarine is the first in the world to be launched with plant stanol esters as its active ingredient. Speaking at a conference on Fat & Cholesterol Reduced Foods organized by IBC in London earlier this year, Ingmar Wester, R&D manager at Raisio, presented evidence to show that the stanol fatty acid esters contained in Benecol reduces cholesterol absorption if eaten regularly.

An ingredient from Pro-Fibe Nutrition in the UK called Hi-Sol contains soluble fiber in the form of Beta Glucans that, according to Managing Director Mathew Richardson, have been "well documented as being able to reduce blood cholesterol." Developed in conjunction with the milling company Silvery Tweed Cereals, this is a free-flowing, ultra-fine flour with a soluble fiber content of about 15% and a neutral taste and color.

"We have already successfully used this product in a wide range of food products," Richardson said. "Hi Sol has technological functions as well as potential functional claims with regard to cholesterol."

Claimed to be the world's first high-fiber yogurt, Fibre-Hi was developed by Pro-Fibe Nutrition in conjunction with a British dairy farmer and the University of Sunderland. The yogurt was listed by Tesco, Waitrose and CRS retail without promotional investment. Richardson said that in addition to providing positive health benefits, the soluble fiber has the mouthfeel and texture so that the yogurt tastes like a full-fat thick, and creamy yogurt, despite the fact that it is a low-fat product and contains 20 times more fiber than regular yogurt. Attributes such as this make healthy products more acceptable to consumers.

Richardson said that R&D has progressed over recent years, and the image of fiber as unpalatable is diminishing. However, expert knowledge of fiber is necessary to overcome some formulation difficulties such as strong taste and gritty or slimy mouthfeel. Processing problems when using fiber include mixing difficulties, such as dispersal and changes in dough characteristics; and increases in cooking time due to increased water retention. Another drawback is that particles of fiber may cause problems in liquid foods if they are passed through heat exchangers, says Richardson.

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