Plant sterols are proven to be safe and have been approved for use in foods.
- In 2000, Flora ProActiv was the first spread authorized under the European Union Novel Foods legislation. It has been approved as safe by independent authorities in The European Union, Norway, Switzerland, The United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Brazil, Israel, Iceland, Japan, China, Indonesia, Chile and Turkey.
- In 2004, the Flora ProActiv range was extended after the European Union authorised milk drink and ‘one-a-day’ yoghurt mini-drink products with added plant sterols as Novel Foods.
- Unilever’s post-launch monitoring programme confirms that Flora ProActiv is being consumed by the correct target group and there is no evidence of over-consumption or adverse health effects.60