In its 2007 New Product Pacesetters report issued in March 2008, global consumer packaged goods analysis firm Information Resources Inc. (IRI) reported the “the most successful new food and beverage brands addressed evolving consumer health and wellness needs—not only weight management and nutrition, but also disease prevention and management” and that “food and beverage health benefits will become increasingly specific in the coming years.” IRI went on to say the functional foods category (including foods with cholesterol-reducing ingredients) has been “hugely successful” and shows every indication of gaining momentum and becoming more prevalent over the next few years as these foods become increasingly available to consumers.
Although plant sterols have not yet become a household phrase, these functional fortifiers are rapidly becoming today’s “it” ingredient. Mintel notes that while there were only six new food and drink products with sterols launched globally in 2003, there were 57 in 2008, 25 of them in the U.S. alone.
The National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) tells consumers that while weight reduction and exercise can decrease blood cholesterol, “sometimes they do not go far enough.” NCEP goes on to say that “foods and beverages supplemented with plant sterols are a promising addition to interventions aimed at lowering heart disease risk” by anywhere from 6 percent to 15 percent.
Based on more than 20 scientific studies, the FDA officially came on board in 2000 when it granted manufacturers permission to indicate on their labels the following information: “Diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol that include at least 1.3 grams of plant sterol esters consumed in two meals with other foods may reduce the risk of heart disease.” According to the FDA, the plant-sterol amounts should be divided between two meals consumed at different times of the day, some other medical experts suggest that it might not be necessary to eat the sterols at a particular time or interval.
The AHA suggests individuals with elevated LDL, under the care of a physician, might benefit from consuming about 2 grams per day in foods, beverages, and soft gel capsules. The Mayo Clinic placed foods fortified with plant sterols on its list of Top 5 Foods to Lower Your Cholesterol Numbers and solidifies the nutrients’ healthy positioning by pointing out that they don’t appear to affect levels of triglycerides or high-density lipoprotein nor do they interfere with absorption of fat-soluble vitamins such as A,D, E, and K.
Ingredient manufacturers and bread producers note that adding omega-3s and plant sterols to their products has no effect on taste or texture of the finished products. Most bakers use the powdered form of plant sterols, although they are also available as oil-based esters, which are usually used in spreads.
J.J. Mathieu, research center technical service professional at Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM), makers of CardioAid Plant Sterols, calls bread “an ideal vehicle for sterols” because bakers can add them to their doughs without adjusting their existing formulations or production methods. The sterols are also easy for consumers to incorporate into their lifestyles, says Mathieu, because consumers generally eat some form of bread with one or more of their meals every day.
Manufacturers point out that pricing should not present an obstacle, either. Adding CardioAid to breads costs less than a penny per serving. Ingredient supplier Cognis puts the extra cost per serving somewhere between a half cent and two cents. A recent check of packaged bread prices on supermarket shelves in the northeast showed that Arnold ’s Double Oat Hearty Oatmeal Bread with nutritional ingredient supplier Cognis Nutrition and Health’s “Heart Choice Natural Plant Sterols” and the company’s Grains & More Double Omega Multi-Grain & Flax Bread retail at around 20 cents more than the brand’s regular loaves. Thomas’ Hearty Grains Double Oat Golden Honey English muffins and bagels with plant sterols retail at the same price as the company’s other varieties.
Kroger marketing manager Adam Lane says his company targets its Active Lifestyle breads to higher-end customers who are looking for more than the private brand 90 cent to $1 loaf or national brand that usually costs anywhere from $1.75 to $2. Kroger charges $2.50 to $3 for its plant sterol–enriched breads, and it has been “widely accepted” by shoppers. In fact, the breads have done so well that the chain is rolling them out to its stores nationwide.
Fortified breads have come a long way from being relegated to the less-visited health foods aisles in the supermarkets. They now share merchandising space with all the private and national branded items in the regular packaged-bread aisle. With its six varieties, Kroger’s Active Lifestyle loaves get a generous amount of shelf space.