Evaluation of Phytosterols in Milk and Yogurts Used as Functional Foods in Portugal

• Published in: Food analytical methods Vol. 4; no. 1; pp. 28 - 34
• Main Authors: Saraiva, David, da Conceição Castilho, Maria, do Rosário Martins, Maria, da Silveira, Maria Irene Noronha, Ramos, Fernando
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer-Verlag 01-03-2011
• Subjects: Analytical Chemistry; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Chemistry/Food Science; Food Science; Microbiology; GC-MS; Yogurt; Plant Sterols; Cholesterol; Plant Stanols; Milk
• ISSN: 1936-9751; 1936-976X
• DOI: 10.1007/s12161-010-9131-y

The early development of cardiovascular diseases, one of the major death causes in Europe, is clearly associated with high plasmatic cholesterol levels. However, it is demonstrated that the ingestion of phytosterols-enriched milk and yogurts could reduce cholesterolemia. The purpose of the present work was to assess the commercially available phytosterols-enriched milk and yogurts. As such, the available three milk and seven yogurt presentations in Portuguese market were collected during 2008 and analyzed through gas chromatography coupled with mass detection. All the analyzed milk samples were in agreement with the proportion established by the European Commission, with β-sitosterol as the more abundant phytosterol. However, and contrarily to milk, the different yogurt manufacturers had different options in the phytosterols added to the dairy foods commercialized.