Abstract: A food product and food intermediate, and method of creating a food product and food intermediate having beneficial hypocholesterolemic activity, wherein a source of beta glucan is added to the food compositions after at least some of the other ingredients of the food composition have already been combined and mixed for a first period of time to form an intermediate composition. The addition of the source of beta glucan later in the production of the food composition has been found to increase the processability of such food compositions while maintaining the healthy benefits associated with such additions.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a food product or food product intermediate which incorporates short chain beta glucan or modified short chain beta glucan, those having an average molecular weight of less than 50,000 Daltons, and preferably in the range of 500 to 2,500 Daltons, to enhance bile acid binding capacity resulting in improved hypocholesterolemic effects.

Abstract: The present invention is a food product intended for consumers that is both nutritionally complete and well balanced and provides beneficial hypocholesterolemic activity. The food product includes a combination of soluble fiber component selected from the group consisting of psyllium, oat flour, oat bran, barley, beta-glucan, guar gum, beet pulp and pectin and a second beneficial component selected from the group consisting of beta sitosterol, stigmasterol, campesterol, ergosterol, beta sitostanol, campestanol, stigmastanol and fatty acid derivatives thereof and/or a combination of one or more of the above to generate the health benefit.