The sunflower oil has good stability because it is more than 90% monounsaturated fat, said David Dzisiak, commercial leader for grains and oils for Dow AgroSciences, Indianapolis. The sunflower oil, although about 3.5% saturated fat, qualifies for the saturated fat-free claim under Food and Drug Administration rules because it is has less than a half gram of saturated fat per serving, Mr. Dzisiak said.
Dow AgroSciences is offering samples of the oil to food companies right now, Mr. Dzisiak said. Two potential applications are sauces and salad dressings, he said. Such products may begin appearing on retail shelves within the next two years, according to Dow AgroSciences.
Dow AgroSciences already offers Omega-9 canola oil that has a low saturated fat content of about 7%. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends a reduction of saturated fat intake with them being replaced by monounsaturated fats and olyunsaturated fats.
“Omega-9 sunflower oil provides a very powerful ingredient advantage for food manufacturers, potentially allowing them to eliminate saturated fat from food products by making the switch,” Mr. Dzisiak said. “This can truly impact purchasing behavior at the grocery store. It’s pretty amazing to offer an oil that’s virtually all ‘good’ fat.”
Dow AgroSciences is at booth No. 7257 at the I.F.T. event.
