'Healthy' Margarine To Hit U.S.

A margarine that may have a beneficial effect on cholesterol levels has passed a Food and Drug Administration review, clearing the way for it to be sold in the United States.

It has been available in Finland, where it was developed, since 1995.

The margarine, to be distributed in the United States by McNeil Consumers Healthcare, contains plant stanol ester, a nutrient the company claims will help consumers manage their cholesterol levels.

Alan M. Rulis of the FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition said Monday his agency is not endorsing the product or its claims. Instead, he said the FDA merely reviewed the testing done by McNeil and then sent a letter stating that the agency had no more questions about the safety of the product.

The agency letter also said that the company would not violate FDA labeling rules if its claims the margarine contains an ingredient that "helps promote healthy cholesterol levels."

McNeil announced that the margarine will be sold in the United States under the brand name Benecol and should be stocked in grocery dairy cases by May 26.

Stanol esters are naturally found in wood and in vegetable oils such as corn oil or olive oil. Benecol is popular in Finland, where the margarine's key ingredient is also a by-product of the pine tree logging industry.

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1995 suggested that long-term use of Benecol may lower total cholesterol levels by up to 10 percent.