Kensing has developed a prototype light cream cheese enriched with its sunflower-derived plant sterol ingredient, Sunvasterol EST, as it looks to expand the application of cholesterol-lowering functional ingredients in everyday foods.
The speciality ingredients manufacturer will showcase the formulation at the Fi Europe show this year, taking place in Frankfurt from 17-19 November, at stand 30H38.
The prototype demonstrates how Sunvasterol EST can be incorporated into popular fat-containing food products, including dairy spreads, yoghurts and sauces, to deliver the recognised health benefits of phytosterols.
Sunflower-derived phytosterols for functional food applications
Sunvasterol EST is a non-GMO phytosterol formulation derived exclusively from sunflower seeds.
It contains concentrated plant sterols, primarily beta-sitosterol, stigmasterol and campesterol, esterified with fatty acids from sunflower oil.
According to Kensing, this esterification process improves the ingredient's fat solubility, allowing it to disperse more effectively in fat-containing food matrices.
Potential applications include cream cheese, margarine, dairy products, salad dressings and food supplements.
Plant sterols are structurally similar to cholesterol and can help reduce LDL-cholesterol levels by limiting cholesterol absorption in the digestive tract.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has recognised cholesterol-lowering benefits associated with daily plant sterol intakes of 1.5-3 g.
Kensing received EFSA novel food authorisation for Sunvasterol last year, allowing an expanded phytosterol specification that includes a higher proportion of naturally occurring minor sterols.
Maintaining texture and sensory performance
The light cream cheese prototype contains 6.7% Sunvasterol EST.
Each 25 g serving provides approximately 1g of plant sterols, with two servings delivering the recommended intake associated with a 7-10% reduction in LDL-cholesterol during a two- to three-week period, according to the company.
Application testing at Kensing's laboratory indicated that the ingredient could be incorporated without compromising the product's homogeneity, creamy and spreadable texture or its flavour profile.
“We're opening new possibilities for making phytosterols part of consumers' daily wellness routines by incorporating them into everyday dietary staples, from spreads to yoghurts,” said Alessio Tagliaferri, VP of Global Business Development and Marketing at Kensing.
Growing demand for heart health ingredients
The launch comes amid growing interest in functional foods targeting cardiovascular health.
Kensing cites Innova Market Insights' 2025 Precision Wellness report, which identifies heart health as one of consumers' leading physical health concerns and notes a gap between consumer demand and available products.
