Glanbia concentrates on heart health

A new partnership between Nurture Inc in the US and Glanbia Nutritionals will give the European ingredient supplier exclusive European distribution rights for a heart healthy ingredient.

OatVantage is a concentrated beta-glucan product claimed to provide 18 times more cholesterol-lowering soluble fibre than found in natural oats.

Oat beta-glucan has won a cholesterol-lowering health claim by the UK's health claims approval body, the Joint Health Claims Initiative. However, products carrying the claim must contain at least 0.75g beta-glucan soluble fibre per serving.

Nurture says consumers would need to eat three bowls of instant oatmeal daily to meet the amount of beta-glucan required to reduce the risk of heart disease. For most consumers, eating this much instant oatmeal or cold oat cereal is unrealistic. Its concentrated form will make it easier for consumers to consume the levels required.

Created using a patented process, the free-flowing powder has no impact on the end taste of products and can be used in a wide range of food and beverage applications and in food supplements.