The present invention relates to an assay for determining the levels of
sterols, stanols, steryl esters, fatty acid derivatives and combinations
thereof in a starch-containing food product. The assay is particularly
useful in supporting product health and/or nutritional claims in
manufacturing products intended for human or animal consumption. The
present invention describes a method for extracting sterols related
compounds and uses as an internal standard a steryl ester, preferably
cholesteryl oleate. By using the present extraction technique the process
enables the recovery of substantially all of the sterol related compound
in the sample.