In June 2009, Cognis Nutrition & Health submitted a Novel Food application to Health Canada for its Heart Choice® phytosterols. For years, phytosterols were only available to Canadian consumers as dietary supplements.

Laura Troha, marketing manager, Cognis Nutrition & Health, explained, “Cognis worked diligently with Canadian regulators, so consumers can benefit from the compelling clinical evidence on phytosterols.” Phytosterols, also known as plant sterols, are a naturally occurring class of compounds found in grains, fruits and vegetables. The chemical structures of cholesterol and phytosterol molecules are similar; phytosterols can compete with cholesterol for absorption in the small intestine. Phytosterols block the absorption of dietary cholesterol into the bloodstream and inhibit the reabsorption of cholesterol from bile acids in the digestive process, reducing the amount of cholesterol entering the bloodstream.