Kankakee – November 04, 2026 -- Kensing, LLC has developed a prototype light cream cheese in which its sunflower-derived Sunvasterol EST makes up 6.7% of the formulation, with one 25 g serving delivering about 1 g of plant sterols. The company will let visitors taste the product at Fi Europe, held November 17-19 in Frankfurt at booth #30H38.
Two daily servings reach the sterol intake range tied to a 7-10% LDL cut
Two servings a day provide 1.5-2.4 g of plant sterols, the intake range Kensing associates with a 7-10% reduction in LDL cholesterol over two to three weeks. EFSA-approved health claims for plant sterols apply at daily intakes of 1.5-3.0 g.
Kensing's application lab rated the prototype on three criteria: homogeneity with no lumps or fat spots, a creamy and spreadable texture, and no detectable off flavors. The sterols are esterified with sunflower oil fatty acids, which makes them more fat-soluble. According to Kensing, this lets them disperse evenly into the fat phase and avoids the grainy or waxy mouthfeel linked to free sterols.
The company says the same formulation suits margarine, milk products, salad dressings, yogurts, sauces and food supplements. Alessio Tagliaferri, VP Global Business Development & Marketing, said taking sterols with meals maximizes LDL benefits because they reduce cholesterol absorption in the digestive tract, and that building them into mealtime staples "makes both practical and nutritional sense."
EFSA novel food exclusivity widens permitted minor sterol content to 3-7%
Kensing received EFSA novel food exclusivity for Sunvasterol last year. The EU authorization permits a higher share of naturally occurring minor sterols, between 3% and 7%. Kensing says this matches the natural composition of its sunflower sterols and cuts unnecessary processing.
The ingredient is derived exclusively from sunflower seeds, is non-GMO and clean-label, and allows allergen-free-by-origin labeling. Its main sterols are beta-sitosterol, stigmasterol and campesterol.
Phytosterols market is forecast to grow from USD 1.1 billion to USD 1.8 billion by 2030
Grand View Research valued the global phytosterols market at USD 1.1 billion in 2025 and projects USD 1.8 billion by 2030, a 9.4% CAGR. Kensing says demand for sunflower-derived phytosterols is rising, driven by interest in non-GMO, allergy-friendly and traceable ingredients, particularly in Europe.
Innova Market Insights' 2025 Precision Wellness report ranks heart health among consumers' leading physical health concerns. The report also finds a notable gap between that interest and the availability of products addressing it.
Spanish plants in Valencia and Talavera de la Reina produce the upcycled sterols
Sunvasterol EST is an upcycled byproduct of sunflower oil production. Kensing sources the raw material from local sunflower oil distillates and produces the sterol formulation at its facilities in Valencia and Talavera de la Reina, Spain. At Fi Europe, the company will also show Vitasterol S-80 in multiple applications.