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Benecol maker
petitions FDA for heart disease claim
McNeil Consumer Healthcare, maker of Benecol
foods, has petitioned the FDA to allow a claim of heart disease
risk reduction for its products, which contain stanol esters derived
from pine trees. When taken in conjunction with certain prescription
drugs, plant stanol esters appear to reduce total and low-density
lipoprotein cholesterol. The FDA currently permits a heart disease
risk reduction claim for oat bran, psyllium, and soy protein.
However, FDA rules disallow this type of health claim for products,
such as Benecol, which contain too much fat and less than 10 percent
of the RDA for many nutrients. McNeil hopes to be exempted from
these minimum nutrition requirements. The Tan Sheet, June
5, 2000.
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