Abstract: The invention concers a fat based food product comprising natural fat components which have a blood cholesterol lowering effect in amounts sufficient to obtain a blood cholesterol lowering effect if the food product is used accroding to the common needs and customs of the consumer, wherein at least one of toctrienol, oryzanol and phytosterol is present, and preferably at least two and in a further preferred embodiment at least 0.1 wt % of tocotrienol, 0.1 wt % of oryzanol and 0.4 wt % of phytosterol. In a further preferred embodiment the fat in the product comprises at least 30 wt %, preferably at least 45 wt % of pufa-triglycerides. By the regular consumption of the now found fat based food products a positive contribution to health in general, and in particular to the lowering of the blood cholesterol level can be found.

Abstract: Process for the manufacture of a mixture of fatty acid esters comprising the steps of: (a) hydrolysing a sterol ester or a mixture of sterol esters such that a mixture is obtained comprising phenolic acids and/or fatty acids, and free sterols; and (b) optionally, separating the phenolic acids and/or fatty from the reaction mixture; and (c) esterifying the so obtained free sterols with particular fatty acids.

Abstract: The invention concerns bacteria having byle salt hydrolysis activity and optionally and preferably also bile salt polymerisation activity. Food products comprising such bacteria have been found to be capable to reduce the blood cholesterol level in the human blood. The effect is obtained by interference with the cholesterol and/or bile salt metabolism and is based on BSH activity of the bacteria. Food products which, on the basis of their normal daily intake provide a daily-BSH-intake of 0.3 micro-mol/min/kg bodyweight, are preferred, and even more preferred are food products providing at least a daily-BSH-intake of 0.6 micro-mol/min/kg bodyweight. In a further preferred embodiment a BSH activity of at least 0.8 micro-mol/min/1e10 cfu is obtained by the common, daily intake of food products comprising the bacteria. Further preferred are food products comprising fat, wherein at least 40% of the fat are poly unsaturated fatty acids.

Abstract: The invention regards a process for the preparation of a mixture of stanol and stanol fatty acid esters by esterification of phytosterols with a source for fatty acid moieties, in such a way that the degree of esterification of the phytosterols is in the range of 40-85%, and subsequent hardening of the so obtained sterol/sterol fatty acid mixture, the process can be carried out without the use of any solvent, and wherein preferably the fatty acid groups of the stanol fatty acid esters are substantially saturated fatty acid esters. Also claimed are food products comprising mixtures of stanol and stanol fatty acid esters, in particular fat based food products such as yellow fat spreads.

Abstract: An edible fat spread is provided that comprises triglyceride fat the fatty acid residues of which include 0.05-20 wt % conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) residues. The spread has sensoric properties as good as corresponding spreads without CLA and can be used as a normal part of a daily diet while it can contribute to obtaining an improved blood lipid profile.

Abstract: The invention concerns a fat based food product comprising natural fat components which have a blood cholesterol lowering effect in amounts sufficient to obtain a blood cholesterol lowering effect, wherein the fat comprises at least 1% of a sterol composition which comprises sterols of which at least 40% is esterified with fatty acid esters.

Abstract: The invention concerns a process for the preparation of stanol fatty acid esters mixtures by interesterification of stanol fatty acid esters starting material, of which at least 50% of the fatty acid groups are saturated, with fatty acid mixtures containing at least 35%, and preferably at least 45%, of poly unsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) groups, and wherein preferably the hardening of sterol fatty acid esters. The sterol fatty acid esters are preferably prepared by the esterification of phytosterols with a fatty acid ester mixture comprising at least 70% of C18 fatty acids, all steps can be carried out in the absence of a solvent. Also claimed are food products comprising the stanol fatty acid esters obtained by the process.

Abstract: Stanol fatty acid ester composition comprising at least 85% of stanol (saturated) fatty acid esters in which at least 85% of the fatty acid groups are saturated. Also claimed is a process for the preparation of stanol fatty acid esters, by hardening phytosterol fatty acid or a mixture thereof, or as an alternative, a process for the preparation of stanol fatty acid esters by esterification of phytosterols or a mixture thereof, followed by the hardening of the so obtained phytosterol fatty acid esters.