Manufacturers of cholesterol-lowering dairy products have hailed an EU endorsement of the benefits of phytosterols as a major breakthrough in communicating with consumers.

The European Food Safety Authority issued a statement last week on the effect of phytosterols in reducing cholesterol levels in the bloodstream. It concluded that cholesterol could be reduced by 7% to 10% if a person consumed 1.5 to 2.4 grams of plant sterols and stanols a day.

Manufacturers are already allowed to promote their products' cholesterol-lowering effects, but the findings can now be used to back up these claims.

"This advice will help the European Commission and member states when considering the authorisation of relevant health claims and will ultimately help ensure consumers are not misled about the scientific basis for such claims," said Albert Flynn, chair of EFSA's panel on dietetic products, nutrition and allergies.

Yoghurt, milk, cheese, mayonnaise, spreads, salad dressing and other dairy products were the most effective foods for delivering cholesterol-lowering effects, the statement said.

The new guidance was good news for the industry and consumers, claimed Unilever. "Once the approval process is completed, we look forward to being able to link the benefits of a daily intake of plant sterols from Flora Pro-activ cholesterol products to a reduced risk of heart disease," said a spokeswoman.

Benecol manufacturer McNeil Nutritionals also welcomed the findings. "A perennial threat to the functional foods category is the confusion between the benefits of the various available health products.

"Therefore credibility in our cholesterol-lowering messages is paramount," said marketing manager Esther van Onselen.

Plant sterols and stanols block the absorption of cholesterol in the small intestine and lower blood levels of the low density lipoprotein or 'bad cholesterol', according to EFSA. They occur naturally in plants and vegetable oils.