Ingmar Wester, M.Sc, Research and Development Director of Raisio Group's Benecol Division will today, May 27th, receive a degree of Doctor Honoris Causa of Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at the University of Turku, Finland. Wester has had an important role in the development of plant stanol ester, the cholesterol-lowering ingredient in Benecol^® products and he has widely cooperated with the various departments of the University of Turku in research related to functional foods.

Ingmar Wester (b. 1959) has worked a significant part of his career at Raisio Group researching and developing healthy foods. After his graduation from Åbo Akademi university in 1985, Wester started as a Research Manager at Raision Margariini Oy, the former edible oils and fats division of Raisio. Under his leadership, Raision Margariini Oy built a modern research laboratory and invested in research and development infrastructure that enabled the development of healthier dietary fats and oils.

In 1989, Ingmar Wester made a significant innovation that resulted in the development of a process for production of plant stanol ester. Wester's role has also been essential in the clinical research of health effects of plant stanol ester. This work still continues in cooperation with Finnish and international universities and research institutes. Based on strong scientific evidence, Benecol products are among the few foods authorised to use a disease risk reduction health claim in accordance with the new EU legislation.

Ingmar Wester sees high-level university education and research as an essential factor for the successful development and commercialisation of innovations:"One of the key success factors of our Benecol products has been the strong scientific evidence achieved in cooperation with universities, including the University of Turku."

So far over a hundred high-quality peer-reviewed scientific publications have been published on the health effects of plant stanol ester. Ingmar Wester's contribution is also significant in the innovation of new research topics. Benecol products are currently sold in 30 countries on five continents and millions of people use them daily to lower their cholesterol.

RAISIO PLC

Heidi Hirvonen
Communications and IR Manager
Tel. +358 50 567 3060

Plant stanol ester, the cholesterol-lowering ingredient in Benecol^® products, has been found to deliver further cholesterol reductions in people with type 1 diabetes taking statin drugs. Incorporating plant stanol ester as part of the daily diet reduced average LDL-cholesterol by an extra 15 % over and above the cholesterol-lowering properties of statins. These new results were recently published online in the scientific journal, Atherosclerosis¹.

The study, which was carried out at the University of Eastern Finland in Finland, recruited 24 participants with type 1 diabetes who were on stable cholesterol-lowering statin medication. The mean baseline LDL-cholesterol concentration was 2.0 mmol/l. The subjects consumed either plant stanol ester-containing vegetable oil-based spread (intervention group) or a corresponding control spread without plant stanol ester (control group) for four weeks. The intake of plant stanols in the intervention group was 3 grams per day. The subjects were advised to make no changes whatsoever to their usual diet and lifestyle and to remain on their prescribed statin treatment.

The results showed that plant stanol ester effectively lowered cholesterol. Total and "bad" LDL-cholesterol were reduced by 8% and 15%, respectively, in the intervention group compared with the control group, while triglyceride concentrations and "good" HDL-cholesterol remained unchanged.

Coronary heart disease is a major cause of death in type 1 diabetics, who have an increased risk of developing the disease. Therefore, reducing cholesterol levels is an important means of managing this particular patient group. Professor Helena Gylling MD, from the University of Helsinki in Finland, who was responsible for the study commented:"Compared with healthy populations, the absorption of cholesterol from the digestive tract into the body is increased in type 1 diabetics. So blocking this absorption is an effective means of lowering their blood cholesterol concentrations. Previous research had shown that plant stanol ester effectively lowered cholesterol in type 1 diabetics. However, this new study shows for the first time that plant stanol ester is an effective means of lowering cholesterol even in those type 1 diabetics who are already on stable statin treatment."

Plant stanol ester is an ingredient patented globally by Raisio, while Benecol is a trademark owned by Raisio. Benecol products are sold and marketed by Raisio's wide-ranging network of partners on five continents and in 30 countries. The cholesterol-lowering properties of plant stanol ester have been demonstrated in over 60 clinical studies in various populations and with different types of plant stanol ester-containing foods. Only Benecol products contain plant stanol ester.

References:

¹Hallikainen et al. Plant stanol esters lower LDL cholesterol level in statin-treated subjects with type 1 diabetes by interfering the absorption and synthesis of cholesterol.
Atherosclerosis (2011),doi:10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2011.03.041.
²Hallikainen et al. Effects of plant stanol esters on serum cholesterol concentrations, relative markers of cholesterol metabolism and endothelial function in type 1 diabetes. Atherosclerosis 2008; 199: 432-439.

RAISIO PLC

Heidi Hirvonen
Communications Manager
tel. +358 50 567 3060

Further information:

Helena Gylling, MD, PhD, Professor at the University of Helsinki, tel. +358 50 3302402
Ingmar Wester, R&D Director, Benecol Division, tel. +358 50 601 32
Susanna Rosin, Science Communication Manager, Benecol Division, tel. +358 400 878637

A new meta-analysis¹ shows that the maximal LDL-cholesterol reduction achievable with plant stanol ester is double that seen when plant sterol ester is used. Plant stanol ester is the cholesterol-lowering ingredient unique to Benecol® products. In addition, plant stanol ester produces additional and dose-dependent reductions in LDL-cholesterol with intakes above current recommendations (2 g plant stanols/sterols per day). For plant sterol ester, no such effect was evident. These new data were published in the scientific journal Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes, and Essential Fatty Acids.

The meta-analysis by Musa-Veloso et al.1 was based on a large number of scientific studies and included 182 data sets in total. The analysis showed that the estimated maximal LDL-cholesterol reduction was 18.2% for plant stanol ester versus 9.1% for plant sterol ester, with the difference between the two reaching statistical significance. The findings of the new meta-analysis are supported by two recently published independent clinical studies showing LDL-cholesterol reductions of approximately 17% with a daily consumption of 9g plant stanols^2,3.

"It is known that plant stanols and plant sterols have different structures and that they behave differently in the body, and so it was important to study the LDL-cholesterol-lowering effects of the two substances separately", says Kathy Musa-Veloso PhD, the principle author of the article. "The results of the meta-analysis indicate that intakes of plant stanols in excess of 2 g/day - in fact, up to 9 g/day - are associated with further and dose-dependent reductions in LDL-cholesterol. For plant sterols, however, we did not find a dose-response."

Several scientific and authoritative bodies recommend a daily consumption of plant stanols or plant sterols for improving blood cholesterol levels. The new data may have significant implications for current practices:"The relationship between reductions in LDL-cholesterol and a reduced risk of coronary heart disease is near to linear. In other words, the lower the LDL cholesterol, the lower the risk. These new results are clinically very important as the boosted effect of plant stanol ester with elevated daily intakes may further intensify the coronary heart disease risk reduction at a population level",concludes MD, professor Helena Gylling from the University of Helsinki in Finland."No other single dietary means has proven to be as effective and easy in reducing cholesterol as the daily intake of sufficient amounts of plant stanol ester-containing Benecol foods."

"The new findings are great news for consumers and for Benecol, as all Benecol products are made with plant stanol ester. Benecol consumers can now be confident that they have selected the most effective food ingredient to lower their cholesterol. In the cholesterol-lowering foods category, the efficacy of the products has a huge influence on consumer choices. With these superior results Benecol can further strengthen its position in the market as well as enter new market areas",says Matti Rihko, CEO of the Raisio Group.

Benecol is one of the world leaders in cholesterol-lowering foods and only Benecol products contain plant stanol ester. Plant stanol ester is the cholesterol-lowering food ingredient patented globally by Raisio and Benecol® is a global trademark owned by Raisio. Benecol products are sold and marketed by Raisio's wide network of partners on five continents and in more than 30 countries. The most popular Benecol products include yoghurt drinks, margarine-type spreads, and yoghurts. Raisio Nutrition Ltd. provided funding for the meta-analysis.

References:
1) Musa-Veloso K et al (2011). A comparison of the LDL-cholesterol lowering efficacy of plant stanols and plant sterols: Results of a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids; doi 10.1016/j.plefa.2011.02.001
2) Gylling H et al (2010). The effect of a very high daily plant stanol ester intake on serum lipids, carotenoids, and fat-soluble vitamins. Clinical Nutrition; 29: 112-118.
3) Mensink R et al (2010). Plant stanols dose-dependently decrease LDL-cholesterol concentrations, but not cholesterol-standardized fat-soluble antioxidant concentrations, at intakes up to 9 g/d. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition; 92: 24-33.

More materials on the results of the new meta-analysis can be found here: www.benecol.net/double_efficacy

- A graphical presentation of the main results of the meta-analysis
- The original publication by Musa-Veloso et al.
- Pictures of Benecol products
- Video clips with comments on the new research results