Phytosterols, phytostanols and their esters

New specifications prepared at the 69th JECFA (2008), published in FAO JECFA Monographs 5 (2008). An ADI of 0-40 mg/kg bw,
expressed as the sum of phytosterols and phytostanols in their free form, was established at the 69th JECFA (2008).
SYNONYMS Plant sterols/stanols, Plant sterol/stanol esters, Phytosterol/Phytostanol esters
DEFINITION Phytosterols, phytostanols and their esters are a group of steroid alcohols and esters that occur naturally in plants. The B-ring of the
steroidal moiety of phytosterols is unsaturated in the 5-6 position and is saturated in phytostanols. Phytosterols and phytostanols are isolated from deoderizer distillate (a by-product of edible oil production), or derived from tall oil (a by-product of wood pulp manufacture). They are purified by distillation, extraction, crystallization and washing resulting in products of high purity. Phytosterol blends derived from either vegetable oils or tall oil may be converted to the corresponding phytostanols by catalytic saturation. Some phytosterols and phytostanols may be extracted as esters of fatty acids. Esters are also produced by reacting the sterol/stanols with fatty acids derived from food grade vegetable oils. The fatty acid ester chain may be saturated, mono- or polyunsaturated depending on the source of the vegetable oil. Commercial products may be mixtures of phytosterols, phytostanols and their esters. The production process may include the use of hexane, 1-propanol, ethanol and methanol.