CSIRO Food and Nutritional Sciences
Supporting businesses that promote health and wellbeing
Fast facts
Sterols (fats) from plants can lower cholesterol.
Lowering cholesterol levels by 10 per cent can reduce heart disease risk by 25 per cent or more.
Trials of a range of foods enriched with plant sterols including bread, milk, cereal and yoghurt confirmed such foods can lower cholesterol.
Establishing the benefits and safety of sterol-fortified foods will help get more of these beneficial products onto supermarket shelves.
CSIRO Food and Nutritional Sciences has worked successfully with the dairy, meat, cereal, fats & oils, wine, health and horticulture industries.
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Related topic: Read more about CSIRO Food and Nutritional Sciences.
Functional foods
Separating food fact from fiction
In the current regulatory environment, food and health product manufacturers need to be able to support claims of specific health benefits if these are to be used as selling points. CSIRO Food and Nutritional Sciences in Adelaide has three decades of experience in substantiating the beneficial effects of diets, food products, nutrients, supplements and food-related pharmaceuticals. Trials have been conducted for companies in the dairy, meat, cereals, fats & oils, foods, wine, health and horticulture industries.
Our scientists been very active in the substantiation of the cholesterol lowering effects of plant sterols. Over the last ten years we have performed seven trials for local and international companies. Our expertise lies in organising and running trials within very short time frames and providing comprehensive reports. We are the experts in Australia in the measurement of sterols in blood and foods as well as understanding sterol metabolism.
Plant sterols, cholesterol and food
Sterols are lipids (fats) found in the cells of all organisms where they have a number of important functions. Sterols from plants can lower cholesterol (which is also a sterol). Small amounts of plant sterols are in everyday foods including nuts, seeds and vegetables. Fifty per cent of Australians have elevated cholesterol levels, putting them at higher risk of heart disease. Lowering cholesterol levels by 10 per cent can reduce heart disease risk by 25 per cent or more.
Sterol-fortified margarine trials conducted by the Centre confirmed that LDL or 'bad' cholesterol can be reduced by up to 10 per cent within three weeks. To optimise this effect however, an indivdual would have to eat at least 20g or four teaspoons of sterol-fortified margarine a day.
Hereditary factors increase heart disease risk, as does being male. Although such factors are outside one’s control, a marginal change in diet can have a big impact on reducing that risk. Trial results have established the benefits and safety of sterol-fortified foods and are helping to place more foods containing plant sterols onto Australian supermarket shelves.