Methodology For Quick, Precise Measurement Of Key Health Ingredient

Challenge

Responding to consumer demand for healthy foods, we worked with a major U.S. grocer to develop the first heart-healthy milk containing cholesterol-lowering plant sterols – fat-free milk with CoroWise™. CoroWise™ is a Cargill ingredient based on plant sterols, which has been found to help lower cholesterol levels. During product development, a key challenge was to precisely measure sterol concentrations in the milk – and do it as quickly as possible. At the time, there was no official or validated methodology for analyzing sterols in food matrices. 

Approach

Cargill’s scientists applied their extensive expertise in analytical chemistry to develop a new methodology for quickly and precisely measuring sterols in milk. The methodology proved valuable in the pilot plant where foaming was found to reduce sterol content of the milk. Later, it was applied at more than a dozen different dairies to ensure consistency with product specifications. Now, the methodology continues to be used for ongoing analysis of milk samples.

Results

With a fast and precise analytical tool, our customer can make sure its milk consistently measures up to its health-related claims. Also important, the tool allows the company to minimize using (and purchasing) more sterols than needed, which can occur when trying to ensure compliance with health claims when no accurate measurement tool is available. Finally, because the Cargill methodology was developed for use across food matrices, it has already been applied to support the grocer in introducing other heart healthy foods such as whole wheat bread with CoroWise™ plant sterols.