ST. LOUIS, July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Bunge North
America, the North American arm of Bunge Limited (NYSE: BG), is pleased to announce that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) approved its petition for a qualified health claim linking consumption of soybean oil to reduced risk of coronary heart
disease. Bunge independently filed a petition with the FDA that included a summary of human clinical studies from top nutrition
researchers demonstrating the heart health potential of soybean oil—America's most commonly used ingredient and top dietary
source of omega-3 fats. Upon review, the FDA will allow companies to communicate that soybean oil may reduce coronary heart
disease risk and lower LDL-cholesterol when replacing saturated fat and not increasing calories.
Now, food companies and restaurants can use the heart health claim with some of their most popular products where soybean oil
is typically used, including bottled oil, dressings, dips, snacks, baked goods and more. According to the Hartman Group, heart
health is the #1 health feature U.S. consumers look for when grocery shopping. In addition, 55% of U.S consumers are trying to
avoid or reduce saturated fat in their diet, and almost 40% are trying to incorporate healthier fats—i.e. polyunsaturated and
monounsatured fats.
"As a leading soybean oil producer, Bunge is committed to enhancing the value of America's most accessible food oil.
Based on a compelling set of human studies from top nutrition researchers showing that soybean oil could lower LDL cholesterol
when replacing saturated fat, we proactively petitioned the FDA to permit the claim recognizing that enabling heart health
communications for this oil would further enhance its attractiveness," said Dr. Mark Stavro,
senior director of marketing, Bunge North America. "The FDA's decision provides opportunities for
food companies eager to develop heart healthy products, consumers looking to improve heart health, and soybean farmers who thrive
when demand for their crop increases."
The U.S. is the world's leading soybean producer, accounting for 33% of global production. Bunge is a leading soybean oil
producer in the U.S. and around the world. It works closely with soybean farmers to turn their harvest into an oil that is
foundational in so many foods that Americans eat every day.
"We take great pride in the trusted relationships we have with our farmer customers and work hard to develop new markets for
their crops," said Timothy Gallagher, executive vice president, Oilseed Value Chain, Bunge North America. "By promoting soybean oil's heart health benefits, we are helping to drive demand for a
high quality product that can benefit the full soybean value chain from farm to table."
Through a versatile portfolio and powerful supply chain, Bunge enables broad access to soybean oil and its heart health
benefits. It is thus helping food manufacturers and foodservice distributors and operators be a part of improving heart health in
America. Bunge provides soybean oils across its Bunge® and Whole Harvest® brands, offering traditional
soybean oil, as well as expeller-pressed, non-GMO and organic options.
Based on the newly permitted soybean oil and heart health claim, food providers are allowed to make heart health claims when
food and menu items include at least 5.0 grams of soybean oil per serving and also meet applicable criteria for saturated fat,
trans fat, cholesterol, and sodium content. In order to be deemed heart healthy, soybean-oil-containing food products,
including margarine, margarine substitutes, and margarine products must also be a good source of one of six beneficial nutrients
identified by FDA. Soybean oil, soybean oil blends, salad dressings, and shortenings can carry the claim without having to be a
good source of one of these six nutrients, but must meet criteria for saturated, trans fat, cholesterol, and sodium content.
For more information, visit www.bungecreativesolutions.com/hearthealth.
About Bunge North America
Bunge North America (www.bungenorthamerica.com), the North American operating arm of Bunge Limited (NYSE: BG), is a vertically
integrated food and feed ingredient company, supplying raw and processed agricultural commodities and specialized food
ingredients to a wide range of customers in the animal feed, food processor, foodservice and bakery industries. With headquarters
in St. Louis, Missouri, Bunge North America and its subsidiaries
operate grain elevators, oilseed processing plants, edible oil refineries and packaging facilities, and corn, wheat and rice
mills in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
About Bunge Limited
Bunge Limited (www.bunge.com, NYSE: BG) is a
leading global agribusiness and food company operating in over 40 countries with approximately 32,000 employees. Bunge buys,
sells, stores and transports oilseeds and grains to serve customers worldwide; processes oilseeds to make protein meal for animal
feed and edible oil products for commercial customers and consumers; produces sugar and ethanol from sugarcane; mills wheat, corn
and rice to make ingredients used by food companies; and sells fertilizer in South America.
Founded in 1818, the company is headquartered in White Plains, New York
Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains both historical and forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of
historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act
of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements are not
based on historical facts, but rather reflect our current expectations and projections about our future results, performance,
prospects and opportunities. We have tried to identify these forward-looking statements by using words including "may," "will,"
"should," "could," "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "plan," "intend," "estimate," "continue" and similar expressions. These
forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause our actual results,
performance, prospects or opportunities to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking
statements. The following important factors, among others, could affect our business and financial performance: industry
conditions, including fluctuations in supply, demand and prices for agricultural commodities and other raw materials and products
used in our business; fluctuations in energy and freight costs and competitive developments in our industries; the effects of
weather conditions and the outbreak of crop and animal disease on our business; global and regional agricultural, economic,
financial and commodities market, political, social and health conditions; the outcome of pending regulatory and legal
proceedings; our ability to complete, integrate and benefit from acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures and strategic
alliances; our ability to achieve the efficiencies, savings and other benefits anticipated from our cost reduction, margin
improvement and other business optimization initiatives; changes in government policies, laws and regulations affecting our
business, including agricultural and trade policies, tax regulations and biofuels legislation; and other factors affecting our
business generally. The forward-looking statements included in this release are made only as of the date of this release, and
except as otherwise required by federal securities law, we do not have any obligation to publicly update or revise any
forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.
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SOURCE Bunge