Sanitarium Weet-Bix Cholesterol Lowering Essay: Ingredients, Manufacturing, Packaging, And Innovations.

The assignment links with the following Unit Learning Outcome (ULO):

ULO 1 Describe the compositional and technological properties of food commodities

ULO2 Evaluate the health aspects of food commodities and their effects on diet related diseases.

ULO 3 Distinguish between consumer, public health and industry perspectives relating to recent changes in both the food supply and food regulation, specifically around nutrition, health and related claims.

ULO5 Communicate emerging local and global food trends in the in relation to product innovations and the industry response, using relevant technology

This task enhance your knowledge and understanding in

• local and global innovations in food products in relation to nutrition and health.

• Innovative food ingredients, processing methods, packaging materials and design and regulation of a novel product.

Introduction to Weet-Bix Cholesterol Lowering cereal

Sanitarium’ Weet-Bix Cholesterol Lowering cereal is a new product in the Australian market that has attracted huge number of people who use the cereal for breakfast. The Weet-Bix Cholesterol Lowering cereal is the original product in Australia to harness plant sterols to efficiently lower the levels of cholesterol over a period of four weeks with just two biscuits taken on a daily basis. The new cereal has been clinically proven to lower the levels of cholesterol up to 9 per cent in four weeks¹³. Unlike other Weet-bix products that has been nutritious staple for many years; the novel brand makes it simpler than many years ago for many people in Australia to manage their heart health⁸. The health claims of the Weet-Bix Cholesterol Lowering have received permission in the Food Standards Code to comprise augmented degree of plant sterols in cereals through the approval of Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) ³.

Many people in Australian are more than ready to embrace health food innovations that lower their level of cholesterol like the Weet-Bix Cholesterol Lowering cereal from Sanitarium. According to a study carried out by Sanitarium, one in three adults in Australia requires to take charge of their levels of cholesterol for their heart health. The study also established that two-thirds of its participants do not have their cholesterol level screened once in every 2 years as widely recommended by health professionals⁹. Many Australians are currently complacent regarding their level of cholesterol, with around 64 per cent of consumers requiring cereals because of the fibre content. The majority of the consumers affected by the high level of cholesterol in Australia are 45 years and above, placing them in a high-risk group¹¹.

The launch of the new product came at a moment when disturbing statistical reports show Australians’ cholesterol contentment. In a countrywide survey 1,000 people in Australia launched by Sanitarium besides carried by Galaxy Research showed that 64 per cent of participants disclosed that they did not have their cholesterol level screened once in every 2 years. High cholesterol is one of the primary risk factors for cardiovascular diseases with an approximated 46 per cent of heart mortalities in Australia being linked to high levels of cholesterol. Therefore, individuals with high levels of cholesterol should manage their heart health through healthy balanced diet along with lifestyle and dietary intervention⁴.

This report will detail Sanitarium Weet-Bix Cholesterol Lowering ingredients and functions , the process of manufacturing, packaging, and product’s innovation that comprise ingredient health claims and use of advanced packaging and processing methods.

The need for Weet-Bix Cholesterol Lowering in Australia

The Sanitarium Weet-Bix Cholesterol Lowering is one of the leading breakfast cereals in Australia that has been manufactured to lower the level of cholesterol. The new brand is believed to be the primary breakfast cereal brand in the nation to exploit sterols from plants to efficiently lower the level of cholesterol by 9 per cent over a period of four weeks  with only two biscuits (single serve) taken on a daily basis. This new brand is made of 2 grams of plant sterols from plants in a single serve or two biscuits. The two grams is the RDA to lower the level of cholesterol. The product is a breakfast cereal made of wheat grain (88 per cent) and sterol (5%) and other ingredients that include vitamins (thiamine, foliate, riboflavin), antioxidants (mixed tocopherols, ascorbyl), barley malt extract, mineral (iron), raw sugar, salt, as well as water¹². The plant sterols as primary ingredient of the product are naturally occurring substance that lowers LDL cholesterol through lowering the intake of cholesterol in the digestive system. The sugar is added to the cereal to increase sweetness, develop the needed colour along crispiness, and stabilize the added fortified ingredients. The minerals and vitamins are added to increase the nutrients level and replace the nutrients lost during processing⁵.

The wheat whole grain is received, checked plus cleaned, then crushed amid huge metal rollers to remove the outside layer of bran. Thus, the resultant product can be ground more thinly into flour. The whole grains are blended with plant sterol esters, vitamins (thiamine, foliate, riboflavin), antioxidants (mixed tocopherols, ascorbyl), barley malt extract,  mineral (iron), raw sugar, salt, as well as water in a huge rotating pressure cooker for 20-30 minutes. During this process, temperature, time, plus rate of rotation differ with the kind of grain being cooked¹⁴.

The next phase is to move the cooked whole grain to a conveyor belt that passes via a drying oven. Hence, the process is designed to reduce the moisture content (16-20 per cent) of the resultant product and enough water still in the already cooked grain. This will lead to a soft, firm mass that may be shaped to the desirable shape.

The cooked whole grains are permitted to cool for some hours, steadying the moisture level of each grain. Thus, this procedure is called tempering. Thus, the tempered whole grains are flattened amid big metal rollers with huge pressure. Thus, the resultant flakes are transmitted to ovens in which they are tossed in a flash under extreme hot air to eliminate the residual moisture whereby to toast them to a wanted colour along with flavour ⁶⁽¹⁶⁴⁾.

Ingredients and manufacturing of Weet-Bix Cholesterol Lowering cereal

The final step is adding coatings, where after shaping the product into desirable shapes; the muesli can be encrusted with different flavours, vitamins, sweeteners, like food colours, fruit juices, along with preservatives. In addition, the frosting is employed through spraying chunky, scorching syrup of sugar on the resultant product carried out in a rotating drum.

The cereal is packaged in outer carton box and has also inner lining material. The cereal is packaged in sealed, waterproof material (inner liner) within the cardboard boxes to safeguard them from ruining. The packaging materials convey information to the client to recognize the use, storage instructions and disposal of the product and needed Food Standards information. The packaging protects the product form tampering, spoilage and degradation in the time of transport and distribution, handling and display supermarkets; as well as acts like marketing and product identification tool.

Sanitarium has continued to play a leading role in innovation towards packaging of the Weet-Bix Cholesterol Lowering towards promoting sustainability and environmental protection. The company considers that consumers across Australia need access to clear, more expedient nutrition information to assist support knowledgeable food purchasing choices¹⁵. This is achieved through effective packaging labelling. Thus, the Sanitarium Development and Innovation (SDI) facility offers professional and scientific, as well as engineering assistance in many ways, which include packaging requirement. The packaging has been designed in a way that the cardboard box can easily discompose as it is biodegradable that will not harm the environment¹⁰.

The majority of breakfast cereal products that features cholesterol lowering claims to attain this via integration of oat beta glucan, such as sterols, gains from accepted cholesterol decline arguments in the European Union (EU)¹. The Weet-Bix Cholesterol Lowering has attracted huge support because of it claims that the product has towards assisting the Australians live a healthy live. The product has received an outstanding support from the Heart Foundation because of its capability to lower the level of cholesterol by 9 per cent^{13 (119)}. The heart Foundation recommends the 2 grams of plant sterols per serve as an efficient and easy means to reduce the level of cholesterol as part of a healthy diet, as well as lifestyle. The product is the most innovative cholesterol decreasing product that lowers cholesterol, which is a risk factor for many cardiovascular diseases, such as heart disease¹.

Sanitarium Weet-Bix Cholesterol Lowering cereal brand is designed to lower the level of cholesterol among the Australia, thus promoting health aimed at eliminating cardiovascular diseases, such as heart disease in the population. The cereal product lowers cholesterol of up to 9 per cent in a duration of four weeks, which is clinically proven. Weet-Bix has 2 grams of plant sterols per single serve that is believed is adequate in lowering cholesterol level through its functioning in the digestive system. The product is low in sugar, as well as saturated fat with high content of wholegrain, which is effective in lowering cholesterol¹⁰.

Packaging innovations of Weet-Bix Cholesterol Lowering cereal

Sanitarium Weet-Bix Cholesterol Lowering will play a leading function in varied diet designed in promoting diet full of wholegrain and fibre to lower the level of cholesterol being a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), such as heart disease. Sanitarium has the prospect to undertake greater innovation towards improving this innovative product to expand its current market niche beyond Australia. This will be possible because many people suffer high level of cholesterol and need foods that will reduce these challenges. The future of the product is innovation.

Conclusion

The Sanitarium Weet-Bix Cholesterol Lowering has become a popular cereal product because of its ability to reduce the level of cholesterol. The use of the plant sterol is an important ingredient that has attracted research into the clinical significance of the product. The market for this new product in the Australian market is growing at a greater space. Therefore, integrating the cholesterol-reducing characteristics of sterols from plants into a cereal brand is actually an innovative ways to overcome challenges of high level cholesterol that cause heart disease.

References

AbuMweis SS, Jew S, Ames NP. beta-glucan from barley and its lipid-lowering capacity: a metaanalysis of randomized, controlled trials. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2010 Dec;64(12):1472-80. PubMed PMID: 20924392.

Arvanitoyannis IS, Van Houwelingen-Koukaliaroglou M. Functional foods: a survey of health claims, pros and cons, and current legislation. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2005;45(5):385-404. PubMed PMID: 16130415.

Australian Government. Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 (Cth), Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code – Standard 1.2.7 – Nutrition, health and related claims F2016C00161 [Legislation]. Canberra, ACT: Australian Government; 2016 [updated 2016 Mar 1; cited 2018 Oct 07]. Available from: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2016C00161.

Bernstein AM, Titgemeier B, Kirkpatrick K, Golubic M, Roizen MF. Major cereal grain fibers and psyllium in relation to cardiovascular health. 2013 May;5(5):1471-87. PubMed PMID: 23628720. Pubmed Central PMCID: PMC3708330.

Cho S. Chapter 1: Functional and Dietary Fibers. In: Cho, S and Samuel P, editors. Fiber Ingredients: Food Applications and Health Benefits[ebook]. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press; 2009 [Accessed 2018 Oct 7].

Ferruzzi MG, Jonnalagadda SS, Liu S, Marquart L, McKeown N, & Reicks M. Developing a standard definition of whole-grain foods for dietary recommendations: summary report of a multidisciplinary expert roundtable discussion. Adv Nutr. 2014 Mar;5(2):164-76. PubMed PMID: 24618757.

Giebel J. Make it a Malt. Prepared Foods. 2015 Jul;184(7):88-90. PubMed PMID: 103625239.

Lucio, R. Sanitarium secures special approval for new product. Inside FMCG. [Internet]. 2017 Sept 14. [Accessed 07.10.2018]. Available from https://insidefmcg.com.au/2017/09/14/sanitarium-secures-special-approval-for-new-product/.

McKay, S. Sanitarium launches first cereal product to reduce cholesterol. Coast Community News. [Internet]. 2017 Sept 21. [Accessed 07.10.2018]. Available from https://coastcommunitynews.com.au/central-coast/news/2017/10/sanitarium-launches-first-cereal-product-reduce-cholesterol/.

Mellentin, J. Cereal giant’s launch signals niche-focused strategy? New Nutrition. [Internet]. 2017 Oct 01. [Accessed 07.10.2018]. Available from https://www.new-nutrition.com/nnbArticle/view/280.

National Heart Foundation of Australia. Cardiovascular disease fact sheet [Internet]. Melbourne, VIC: National Heart Foundation of Australia; 2016 [Accessed 2018 Oct 7]. Available from: https://heartfoundation.org.au/about-us/what-we-do/heart-disease-inaustralia/cardiovasculardisease-fact-sheet.

Osterhues A, Ali NS, & Michels KB. The role of folic Acid fortification in neural tube defects: a review. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr.2013 Sep;53(11):1180-90. PubMed PMID: 24007422. Pubmed Central PMCID: Sep 22.

Smith CE, & Tucker KL. Health benefits of cereal fibre: a review of clinical trials. Nutr Res Rev. 2011 Jun;24(1):118-31. PubMed PMID: 21320383. Pubmed Central PMCID: PMC3145818.

Williams PG. The benefits of breakfast cereal consumption: a systematic review of the evidence base. Adv Nutri.2014 Sep;5(5):636S-73S. PubMed PMID: 25225349. Pubmed Central PMCID: PMC4188247.

Wiyers, R. Cholesterol-lowering version of breakfast cereal classic makes Australian debut. Nutrition Insight. [Internet]. 2017 Sept 21. [Accessed 07.10.2018]. Available from https://www.nutritioninsight.com/news/cholesterol-lowering-version-of-breakfast-cereal- classic-makes-australian-debut.html.

Ziai S. Chapter 17: Psyllium. In: Cho, S and Samuel P, editors. Fiber Ingredients: Food Applications and Health Benefits [ebook]. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press; 2009 [cited 2016 Sep 29]. p. 393-423.