Ingredients that are upcycled and functional with a health benefit have become very popular. Functional ingredients with high health benefits are also in demand. When a novel ingredient that combines both of these ingredients receives approval as a novel food from the European Food Safety Authority, it is incredibly exciting.
Kensing celebrates this very reason in its US headquarters. Kensing’s plant-based sterols can be substituted by brands for soya, pine, or rapeseed-based sterols.
Sunvasterol, also known as Sunvasterol is clinically shown to reduce cholesterol.
How are phytosterols made?
Plant sterols (also known as phytosterols) are lipids that have a similar structure to cholesterol, but they’re naturally present in seeds. Plant sterols are used by food and beverage producers to lower “bad” cholesterol and add texture.
Plant sterols can be made out of soy, pine resin and rapeseed. With Kensing’s approval of novel foods, it is now possible to buy sunflower phytosterols. These are made using a sunflower oil by-product.
What is the process of making them? Nida Napawan, Kensing’s global director for technical and regulatory matters, explained that during the refinement of sunflower oil a vegetable oil distillate byproduct is produced. The distillates are rich in free fatty acid, phytosterols and tocopherols. They would be otherwise used for low-grade feed.
The new plant sterols were derived as a result of the production of sunflower oil. (Gaitanides/Image: Getty/Gaitanides)
Kensing turns this waste into an ingredient with a clean label and high value by recovering the phytosterols. This is a circular and upcycled process, which does not require any additional land.
EFSA approved health claims for phytosterols
There are many benefits to developing a soy-based alternative. Kensing’s substitute based on sunflower is free of allergens. The health benefits don’t end there.
By competing for absorption with fat-like molecules in the intestinal tract, phytosterols reduce the cholesterol that enters the bloodstream.
What does this mean for the food and beverage makers who include sunflower phytosterols into their formulas? Kensing’s ingredient can be used in foods that are authorised by the Novel Food Regulation. This includes fat-containing products like spreads, margarine, and yoghurts. It also applies to functional dairy drinks and salad dressings.
This novel ingredient is suitable for margarine and other products containing fat. (banusevim/Image: Getty/Banusevim)
Brands can, for example, indicate that an intake of 1.5-3g daily can reduce LDL and total cholesterol by 7-12% over a period of 2-3 weeks if incorporated in these food categories. At least 0.8 grams of plant sterols per day can maintain healthy cholesterol levels.
Exclusive commercial rights granted in Europe
Kensing will enjoy commercial exclusivity in Europe with the EFSA’s approval. Other suppliers who want to sell sunflower sterol in Europe will have to choose between two options. They can either submit an application directly to EFSA, or they can seek Kensing’s consent.
It is aiming to increase production to cope with what the company believes will be “new wave” product demand.