Australia approves plant sterols as novel food ingredient

The Food Standards Ministerial Council of Australia and New Zealand on Friday approved vegetable oil-derived plant sterol esters as a novel food ingredient in edible oil spreads (margarines). The Ministerial Council accepted the advice of the Australia New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA) that plant sterol esters should be allowed in edible oil spreads, and that the product must carry an advisory statement. The advisory statement will recommend that these products are not appropriate for infants, children and pregnant and lactating women and that people using cholesterol reducing medication should seek medical advice before using the spreads. ANZFA noted that in relation to the use of plant sterol esters in other foods, manufacturers had not supplied the safety authority with sufficient data to show that plant sterol esters are safe at the higher levels of intake expected if permission was granted to use these ingredients in a broader range of foods. The new Novel Foods Standard comes into effect from the 16 June 2001. Source: ANZFA​