The company launched a cholesterol-lowering orange juice under its Minute Maid brand in the US in 2003. It contains Cargill's plant sterol ingredient CoroWise.
Plant sterols have not previously been added to juices in Europe and Coca-Cola was therefore required to gain novel foods approval.
Food authorities in Finland have previously approved the use of Cargill's product in other foods. The UK's Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes(ACNFP) said yesterday that it had issued a positive opinion on the application. Its draft opinion is open for consultation from the public. If no objections are received, the product will be approved for the market this spring.
Researchers from Coca-Cola reported last year that plant sterols, recognised for their cholesterol-lowering power when added to margarines and other fats, are just as effective in reducing low-density lipoprotein, or 'bad' cholesterol levels, when added to orange juice.
Foods designed to lower cholesterol are set to be one of the most successful health foods in coming years, according to a recent Reuters report, based on opinions from leading industry executives.
Cholesterol levels are one of the most significant modifiable risk factors for heart disease, the leading killer in Europe.