UK – Functional food expert Angel Technology and dairy company Glanbia Foods UK have worked together to produce the first ever cholesterol-lowering alternative to cheese.

Heartily Healthy has taken three years to develop and the companies hope that it will attract consumers who have previously been unable to eat cheese due to their high cholesterol levels.

The product is said to look, smell and taste like mild cheddar. However, it is made from milk that has had all its dairy fat removed and replaced with active ingredients found naturally in vegetable oil, which help stop harmful cholesterol from getting into the bloodstream.

Clinical trials at the Rowett Institue in Aberdeen indicated that the cheese can reduce cholesterol in just three weeks in 98% of participants.