Aug 17 2010 --- Cognis Nutrition & Health, a leading supplier of natural phytosterols scientifically proven to help reduce cholesterol, announced a national launch of China’s first sterol-enriched milk by Meng Niu, the No. 1 milk company in China.
 
The new milk is available at major food stores throughout China.

Cognis’ phytosterols enjoy regulatory approval in numerous countries and are marketed with the ingredient brand name Heart Choice in North America and Vegapure in other regions of the world, including China. Cognis announced in May that Health Canada has granted Novel Foods Approval for Cognis‘ plant sterols, paving the way for the launch of cholesterol-lowering foods and beverages in Canada. Cognis’phytosterols are clinically proven to lower cholesterol up to 15 percent with a health claim approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
 
Leon Chen, Business Manager, Cognis Nutrition & Health, Greater China, explained that Cognis’ state-of-the-art technology provided the foundation for this launch. “Sterols do not dissolve easily in water or oil, so they can create challenges for many food applications. Using our special esterification process at Cognis’ production facility in Germany, we found an innovative way to make it work while maintaining the milk’s superior taste and appearance.”
 
Phytosterols are found naturally in vegetables, fruits, vegetable oils, legumes, nuts, and grains. While the molecular structure of plant sterols is similar to cholesterol, our body can only absorb cholesterol, and not much of the plant sterols. “Because of this unique difference, dietary plant sterols compete with cholesterol thus blocking the absorption of dietary cholesterol into the bloodstream,” said David Cai, PhD, Senior Science and Regulatory Manager, Cognis Nutrition & Health, North America and Asia. Considering there is a large population in China that is increasingly experiencing cholesterol-related health issues due to poor dietary choices, this milk could be a significant contribution toward a healthier and more balanced diet pattern to help reduce the risk of cholesterol-related heart disease.”