P.M. BRIEFING : Mazola Drops Cholesterol Claims

The manufacturer of Mazola Corn Oil is dropping claims implying that the product reduces cholesterol.

CPC International Inc., based in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., said it has signed agreements with the Federal Trade Commission and the attorneys general of 10 states, including California.

In a statement, CPC said its future advertisements will avoid the “use of statements which might be misinterpreted to mean that the use of corn oil would, by itself, lower serum cholesterol.”

Massachusetts Atty. Gen. James Shannon said he and his colleagues challenged ads that made claims such as, “Mazola does what? They said it could turn back my cholesterol. I didn’t believe it until my level dropped 17%.”

CPC did not admit any violations of law, and said it was trying to avoid expensive legal proceedings.

The agreement calls for the company to pay $100,000 to cover the costs of the investigation, Shannon’s office said.