Lowering Cholesterol through the use of Phytosterols By: Nicole St. Jean

UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND Senior Honors Project Faculty Sponsors Dr. Edward Mazze Business Administration Professor Kathleen Melanson Nutritional Science Professor

Part I: Background What is Cholesterol? Why is High Cholesterol bad? How Can I lower my cholesterol? What is Coronary Heart Disease? How many Americans are impacted by this disease? What are phytosterols? What do phytosterols do in the body?

What is Cholesterol? A sterol present in animals and humans We consume it through our diet We synthesizes all we needs to survive Function: Presence in the body essential for life. *building block for steroid hormones (testosterone and estrogen) *builds/repairs cell walls

Some important facts about Cholesterol How is it measured? Blood Test What are healthy levels? -Total Cholesterol: <200 mg d/L -LDL (bad) cholesterol: <130 mg d/L -HDL (good) cholesterol: >40 mg d/L

Why is high cholesterol bad? Too much LDL (bad) cholesterol can: *Form plaque  builds up on artery walls *Restricts blood flow *Increased Blood Pressure If untreated could lead to: If untreated could lead to: 1. Coronary Heart disease 2. Heart attack 3. Stroke Healthy Un-healthy 

Coronary Heart Disease The plaque often narrows the artery so that the heart does not get enough blood. This slowing of blood flow causes chest pain. If plaque completely blocks blood flow, it may cause a heart attack

Statistics: Coronary Heart Disease in America #1 Killer of men and women in the US 1 out of 3 Americans die each year Every 37 seconds- someone will suffer a coronary event Every minute- someone will die from one Learn your Risk

What are some ways to lower Cholesterol? Physical Activity (30 min a day recommended) Weight Loss Diet Statins (Prescription drugs) Phytosterols!

What are Phytosterols? Term encompassing plant sterols & stanols Present naturally in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes and vegetable oils Important parts of plant cell membrane Structurally resemble cholesterol

What do Phytosterols do in the body? 2-3 g. have cholesterol lowering effects in humans Blocks the absorption of cholesterol in the intestinal tract FDA approves health claims of food products with plant sterols to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. *Requirements: -1.3 g plant sterols -3.4 g plant stanols * Foods that have been approved by the FDA to include this health label are: dressings, spreads, dietary supplements, soft gel form and snack bars.

Studies prove effectiveness of Phytosterols Typical Western diet: mg/day of Phytosterols National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) -2.3 g/day of stanols to their diets -8-11% decreased levels of TC -4-14% decrease in LDL cholesterol

Part II: Business Proposal for Kellogg’s Product: - Cholesterol lowering “Smart Start” Snack bars Place: -Headquartered in Battle Creek, Michigan -International company Promotion: -Advertisement campaigns- increased awareness -Educating consumers on health benefits Price: -5 pack= $3.25

Technology of Phytosterols-enriched foods Described by the World Intellectual Property Organization as: A food in which a plant sterol and/or plant stanol whose dissolution in water is difficult is stably dispersed homogeneously while suppressing any deposition or coagulation (ring formation) An emulsifier of 6 to 16 HLB and a plant sterol are added to a food raw material in a weight ratio of 3:8 to 10:1 heated at 110 ‘C to 200 ‘C thereby obtaining an intended food

Intellectual Property Obtain a license/Agreement with a company with a patent for plant sterols.

Which company to partner with? Kellogg’sCargill Location: (Headquarters) Battle Creek, MichiganMinneapolis, Minnesota Size of Company International 180 countries International 66 countries Company mission “We continually launch product innovations to meet consumers' health needs, such as digestive health, heart health and shape management.. …we provide comprehensive nutrition information, nutrition education and healthy- lifestyle messages.” “To be a global leader in offering ingredients that offer functional and/or health benefits. We create value with our partners by developing innovative solutions. Through our business practices, we enhance the success of our customers, satisfy our stakeholders, provide opportunity for our employees and act as responsible citizens in our communities.”

Product Lifecycle

SWOT Analysis Strengths Strengths -Well recognized brand name -Core competence -Know how & capabilities -Heart healthy product line -Specialize in snack foods Weaknesses -Higher price for product -Licensing and agreement fees -More costly to produce Opportunities -Functional Food Market growing -Educating the Public -Consistent with companies bottom line Threats Threats -Competition: direct/indirect -Low Consumer Awareness -Not the first on the market -Market oversaturated

Perceptual Map (Competition) Healthy Heart Benefits highlow high Price Nature Valley Healthy Heart bars Kellogg’s Smart Start bars Slim Fast bars Cocoa Via bars Kashi bars

Size of Plant Sterol Market $66 million in 2004 $93 million for August % increase sales in Nature Valley’s “healthy heart” snack bars over past 2 years In multiple studies concluded: g/day of phytosterols decreased LDL by 10% -ingesting >2 grams of Phytosterols a day did not add any greater benefits

Will people buy these products? 53% of Americans rate heart disease as their top health concern 85% agreed on the additional health benefits provided by functional foods. 70% believe they have a great amount of control over their health. 83% are interested in learning more on functional foods

Questions