Olestra

Rotating stereogram animation of Olestra

Olestra (also known by its brand name Olean) is a fat substitute that adds no fat, calories, or cholesterol to products. It has been used in the preparation of traditionally high-fat foods such as potato chips, thereby lowering or eliminating their fat content. In the late 1990s, Olestra lost its popularity due to side effects, but products containing the ingredient can still be purchased at grocery stores.

Commercialization

Olestra was accidentally discovered by Procter & Gamble (P&G) researchers F. Mattson and R. Volpenhein in 1968 while researching fats that could be more easily digested by premature infants.^[1] In 1971, P&G met with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to examine what sort of testing would be required to introduce olestra as a food additive.^[2]

During the following tests, P&G noticed a decline in blood cholesterol levels as a side effect of olestra replacing natural dietary fats. Following this potentially lucrative possibility, in 1975, P&G filed a new request with the FDA to use olestra as a "drug", specifically to lower cholesterol levels.^[2] However, the lengthy series of studies that followed failed to demonstrate the 15% reduction required by the FDA to be approved as a treatment. Further work on olestra languished.

In 1984, the FDA allowed Kellogg to publicly claim their high-fiber breakfast cereals were effective in reducing the risk of cancer. P&G immediately started another test series that lasted three years. When these tests were completed, P&G filed for approval as a food additive for up to 35% replacement of fats in home cooking and 75% in commercial uses.^[2]

One of the main concerns the FDA had about olestra was it might encourage consumers to eat more of the "top of the pyramid" foods due to the perception of its being healthier. This could result in consumers engaging in over-consumption, thinking the addition of olestra would remove negative consequences.^[3] In light of this fact, approving it as an additive would have meant consumers would be consuming a food with a relatively high amount of an additive, whose long-term health effects were not documented. This made the FDA particularly hesitant to approve the product, as well as the side effects, such as diarrhea, and concern for the loss of fat-soluble vitamins.^[1] In August 1990, P&G narrowed their focus to "savory snacks", potato chips, tortilla chips, crackers and similar foods.

By this point, the original patents were getting close to their 1995 expiration, so P&G lobbied for an extension, which they received in December 1993. This extension lasted until 25 January 1996.^[4] Under pressure, the approval was finally granted on 24 January, one day before the patent ran out, thereby automatically extending the patent another two years.^[4]

As of 2011, the Lay's Light chips are still available, listing olestra as an ingredient.^[5] Pringles Light potato crisps, manufactured by P&G, use Olean brand olestra.

Side effects

Olestra was approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use as a food additive in 1996, and was initially used in potato chips under the WOW brand by Frito Lay. In 1998, the first year olestra products were marketed nationally after the FDA's Food Advisory Committee confirmed a judgment it made two years earlier, sales were over $400 million.^[6] By 2000, though, sales slowed to $200 million, largely caused by the unappealing side effects described on the FDA-mandated health warning label "This Product Contains Olestra. Olestra may cause abdominal cramping and loose stools. Olestra inhibits the absorption of some vitamins and other nutrients. Vitamins A, D, E, and K have been added."^[7]

This symptom (normally occurring only by excessive consumption in a short period of time, or in disease) is known as steatorrhea. Sales were so slow, P&G abandoned attempts to widen the uses of olestra, and sold off their Cincinnati-based factory to Twin Rivers Technologies in February 2002.^[4]

The FDA removed the warning requirement in 2003, as it had "conducted a scientific review of several post-market studies submitted by P&G, as well as adverse event reports submitted by P&G and the Center for Science in the Public Interest. The FDA concluded the label statement was no longer warranted",^[5] in spite of having received over 20,000 complaints.^[8] When removing the olestra warning label, the FDA cited a six-week P&G study of more than 3000 people showing the olestra-eating group experienced only a small increase in bowel movement frequency compared to the control group.^[5]

P&G also worked hard in its publicity campaigns to highlight the positives of the additive, including working directly with the health-care community.^[9] In addition to the popular culture disapproval of the product, many consumers simply did not see the speedy results for which they had hoped from a product they saw as being a cure-all, because olestra only addressed the fat component of the overall dietary pattern of Americans. Foods containing olestra do not contain calories from fats, and many Americans believed they could eat more of them to compensate for the fat calories "saved".^[10] Eating olestra chips was not a particularly effective way to improve one's diet overall.

Olestra is banned in many countries, including the United Kingdom and Canada.^[11][12]

Chemistry

Triglycerides, the energy-yielding dietary fats, consist of three fatty acids bonded to a glycerol "backbone". Because olestra is synthesized from sucrose, it can bond with six, seven, or eight fatty acids.^[13] The resulting radial arrangement is too large and irregular to move through the intestinal wall and be absorbed. Olestra has the same taste and mouthfeel as fat, but it passes through the gastrointestinal tract undigested without contributing calories or nutritive value to the diet.

From a mechanical point of view, scientists were able to manipulate the compound in such a way that it could be used in place of cooking oils in the preparation of many types of food.^[1]

Since it contains fatty acid functional groups, olestra is able to dissolve lipid-soluble vitamins, such as vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K, and vitamin A, along with carotenoids. Fat-soluble nutrients consumed with olestra products are excreted with the undigested olestra molecules. To counteract this loss of nutrients, products made with olestra are fortified with oil-soluble vitamins.^[14]

Applications

P&G is marketing its sucrose ester products under the brand "Sefose" for use as an industrial lubricant and paint additive.^[15] Because olestra is made by chemically combining sugar and vegetable oil, it releases no toxic fumes and could potentially become a safe and environmentally friendly replacement for petrochemicals in these applications.^[16] It is currently used as a base for deck stains and a lubricant for small power tools, and there are plans to use it on larger machinery.^[17]

In 1999, researchers discovered olestra helps facilitate the removal of dioxins from the body, as it apparently binds to dioxins in a manner similar to that of normal fats. This unexpected side effect may make the substance useful in treating victims of dioxin poisoning.^[18][19]

Recent research by groups at University of Cincinnati School of Medicine in Ohio and the University of Western Australia indicated olestra can be used to treat PCB poisoning, including chloracne symptoms.^[20]

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b c} Nestle, p. 340
2. ^ ^{a b c} Nestle, p. 341
3. ^ Nestle, 339-340
4. ^ ^{a b c} "A Brief History of Olestra", CSPI
5. ^ ^{a b c} "Nutrition Facts Label"
6. ^ Nestle, p. 338
7. ^ "FDA approves fat substitute, Olestra", retrieved December 6th, 2006
8. ^ "FDA Caves in on Olestra". Cspinet.org. 2003-08-01. http://www.cspinet.org/new/200308011.html. Retrieved 2009-04-15. 
9. ^ Nestle, p. 351
10. ^ Nestle, p. 353
11. ^ Peale, Cliff (June 23, 2000). "Canadian ban adds to woes for P&G's olestra". The Cincinnati Enquirer. http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2000/06/23/fin_canadian_ban_adds_to.html. Retrieved 31 March 2011. 
12. ^ "Everything you wanted to know about Olestra". Healthy and Hot. 2007-08-23. http://www.healthyandhot.com/everything_you_wanted_to_know_about_olestra.htm. Retrieved 31 March 2011. 
13. ^ Food and Chemistry, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 1993, p. 29. Retrieved 6 November 2007.
14. ^ "The Problems With Olestra", Center for Science in the Public Interest
15. ^ "Sefose". P&G Chemicals. http://www.pgchemicals.com/default.asp?page=sf&r=. Retrieved 2009-04-12. 
16. ^ Ballantyne, Coco (6 Apr 2009). "Olestra makes a comeback--This time in paints and lubricants, not potato chips". 60-Second Science. Scientific American. http://www.sciam.com/blog/60-second-science/post.cfm?id=olestra-makes-a-comeback-and-this-t-2009-04-06. Retrieved 2009-04-12. 
17. ^ Ballantyne, Coco (13 Apr 2009). "New chemicals for eco-friendly paints and lubricants". 60-Second Science. Scientific American. http://www.sciam.com/blog/60-second-science/post.cfm?id=new-chemicals-for-eco-friendly-pain-2009-04-13. Retrieved 2009-04-14. 
18. ^ Severe 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) Intoxication: Clinical and Laboratory Effects retrieved December 6th, 2006
19. ^ "Olestra Could Be Antidote to Toxins", University of Columbus Health News, 2005.
20. ^ Redgrave TG, Wallace P, Jandacek RJ, Tso P (2005). "Treatment with a dietary fat substitute decreased Arochlor 1254 contamination in an obese diabetic male". J. Nutr. Biochem. 16 (6): 383–4. doi:10.1016/j.jnutbio.2004.12.014. PMID 15936651. 

References

• Nestle, Marion. Food Politics. University of California Press, Ltd.: London, 2002.

External links

• Official website
• Lay's Light Chips page
• History of Olestra
• Case Study and Chemistry of Olestra Development,
• consumeraffairs.com report on Frito-Lay litigation
• Center for Science in the Public Interest: Various articles on Olestra