ST. LOUIS, July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Bunge North
America, the North American arm of Bunge Limited (NYSE: BG), is
pleased to announce that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) approved its petition for a qualified health claim linking
consumption of soybean oil to reduced risk of coronary heart
disease. Bunge independently filed a petition with the FDA that
included a summary of human clinical studies from top nutrition
researchers demonstrating the heart health potential of soybean
oil—America's most commonly used ingredient and top dietary source
of omega-3 fats. Upon review, the FDA will allow companies to
communicate that soybean oil may reduce coronary heart disease risk
and lower LDL-cholesterol when replacing saturated fat and not
increasing calories.
Now, food companies and restaurants can use the heart health
claim with some of their most popular products where soybean oil is
typically used, including bottled oil, dressings, dips, snacks,
baked goods and more. According to the Hartman Group, heart health
is the #1 health feature U.S. consumers look for when grocery
shopping. In addition, 55% of U.S consumers are trying to avoid or
reduce saturated fat in their diet, and almost 40% are trying to
incorporate healthier fats—i.e. polyunsaturated and monounsatured
fats.
"As a leading soybean oil producer, Bunge is committed to
enhancing the value of America's most accessible food oil.
Based on a compelling set of human studies from top nutrition
researchers showing that soybean oil could lower LDL cholesterol
when replacing saturated fat, we proactively petitioned the FDA to
permit the claim recognizing that enabling heart health
communications for this oil would further enhance its
attractiveness," said Dr. Mark
Stavro, senior director of marketing, Bunge North America. "The FDA's decision
provides opportunities for food companies eager to develop heart
healthy products, consumers looking to improve heart health, and
soybean farmers who thrive when demand for their crop
increases."
The U.S. is the world's leading soybean producer, accounting for
33% of global production. Bunge is a leading soybean oil producer
in the U.S. and around the world. It works closely with soybean
farmers to turn their harvest into an oil that is foundational in
so many foods that Americans eat every day.
"We take great pride in the trusted relationships we have with
our farmer customers and work hard to develop new markets for their
crops," said Timothy Gallagher,
executive vice president, Oilseed Value Chain, Bunge North America. "By promoting soybean oil's
heart health benefits, we are helping to drive demand for a high
quality product that can benefit the full soybean value chain from
farm to table."
Through a versatile portfolio and powerful supply chain, Bunge
enables broad access to soybean oil and its heart health benefits.
It is thus helping food manufacturers and foodservice distributors
and operators be a part of improving heart health in America. Bunge
provides soybean oils across its Bunge® and Whole
Harvest® brands, offering traditional soybean oil, as
well as expeller-pressed, non-GMO and organic options.
Based on the newly permitted soybean oil and heart health claim,
food providers are allowed to make heart health claims when food
and menu items include at least 5.0 grams of soybean oil per
serving and also meet applicable criteria for saturated fat, trans
fat, cholesterol, and sodium content. In order to be deemed
heart healthy, soybean-oil-containing food products, including
margarine, margarine substitutes, and margarine products must also
be a good source of one of six beneficial nutrients identified by
FDA. Soybean oil, soybean oil blends, salad dressings, and
shortenings can carry the claim without having to be a good source
of one of these six nutrients, but must meet criteria for
saturated, trans fat, cholesterol, and sodium content.
For more information, visit
www.bungecreativesolutions.com/hearthealth.
About Bunge North
America
Bunge North
America (www.bungenorthamerica.com), the North American
operating arm of Bunge Limited (NYSE: BG), is a vertically
integrated food and feed ingredient company, supplying raw and
processed agricultural commodities and specialized food ingredients
to a wide range of customers in the animal feed, food processor,
foodservice and bakery industries. With headquarters in
St. Louis, Missouri, Bunge North America and its subsidiaries operate
grain elevators, oilseed processing plants, edible oil refineries
and packaging facilities, and corn, wheat and rice mills in the
U.S., Canada and Mexico.
About Bunge Limited
Bunge Limited (www.bunge.com,
NYSE: BG) is a leading global agribusiness and food company
operating in over 40 countries with approximately 32,000 employees.
Bunge buys, sells, stores and transports oilseeds and grains to
serve customers worldwide; processes oilseeds to make protein meal
for animal feed and edible oil products for commercial customers
and consumers; produces sugar and ethanol from sugarcane; mills
wheat, corn and rice to make ingredients used by food companies;
and sells fertilizer in South
America. Founded in 1818, the company is headquartered in
White Plains, New York
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SOURCE Bunge