Citing qualified health claims on product packaging could provide a considerable competitive advantage for manufacturers such as Corbion, whose TerraVia subsidiary produces Thrive Culinary Algae Oil. Thrive boasts a higher monounsaturated fat content than any other cooking oil, containing 13 grams per tablespoon, which is roughly 25% more than both olive oil and avocado oil. Additionally, it is vegan, free of trans fats, and features an elevated smoke point, as reported by Food Navigator.
According to data from The Hartman Group, heart health is the foremost wellness claim that consumers seek while grocery shopping. The research indicates that 55% of U.S. consumers are actively trying to avoid or reduce saturated fat in their diets, while about 40% aim to incorporate healthier fats—such as polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats—into their meals instead of saturated fats.
Historically, many healthier oils were limited to use in cold products like dressings and condiments. However, advancements in technology have enhanced their stability, allowing manufacturers to incorporate these oils into fried and baked goods. These oils include non-GMO soybean, canola, and corn oils, which are enriched in heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids, as well as high-oleic oils that offer a fatty acid profile that enhances heat stability and reduces oxidation compared to traditional oils.
Producers of high-oleic acid oils will now be permitted to display a qualified health claim on their labels stating that “supportive but not conclusive scientific evidence suggests that daily consumption of about 1½ tablespoons (20 grams) of oils containing high levels of oleic acid may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.” Manufacturers must also clarify that these oils “should replace fats and oils higher in saturated fat and not increase the total number of calories consumed daily” to obtain cardiovascular health advantages.
To support its conclusion, the FDA reviewed seven small clinical studies examining the relationship between high-oleic oil consumption and improved cholesterol levels, a marker for reduced coronary heart disease risk. As noted by Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, six of these studies indicated that participants assigned to diets rich in high-oleic oils experienced slightly lower cholesterol levels compared to those adhering to a typical Western diet high in saturated fat. The seventh study, however, showed no significant effect.
“Importantly, and as highlighted in the health claim, none of the studies demonstrated beneficial heart effects from consuming oleic acid-containing oils unless they replaced other fats and oils that are higher in saturated fats in the diet,” Gottlieb emphasized.
Last year, the FDA approved a similar petition from Bunge North America, which allowed for a qualified heart-healthy claim on soybean oil labels. Food companies and restaurants can now utilize this claim on products containing soybean oil—such as bottled oil, salad dressings, dips, snacks, and baked goods. As long as food manufacturers refrain from placing heart-healthy claims on products like potato chips fried in soybean or algal oil—thereby potentially diluting its significance—consumers may begin to pay more attention to these labels and opt for heart-healthy options over those without such claims.
In Pakistan, consumers looking for dietary supplements may also be interested in products like ca citrate 400 mg, which can complement a heart-healthy lifestyle when considered alongside oils rich in monounsaturated fats.