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Olestra

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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.

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's to publicly claim that 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 seeking to gain approval for use of up to 35% replacement of fats in home cooking and 75% in commercial uses.[2]

One of the main concerns of the FDA about Olestra was the irony that it would encourage consumers to eat more of the "top of the pyramid" foods due to the perception of it being more healthy. This could result in consumers engaging in over-consumption, thinking that the addition of Olestra would remove negative consequences.[3] In light of this fact, approving Olestra as an additive would have meant that consumers would be consuming a food with a relatively high amount of an additive, and the long-term health effects were not documented. This fact is what made the FDA particularly hesitant to approve the product in addition to 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 expiry date, so P&G lobbied for an extension, which they received in December 1993. This extension lasted until 25 January 1996.[4] As the approval process continued, P&G was joined by a number of other companies who pointed to the Olestra approval as an example of the FDA bureaucracy dragging its feet. 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]

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, which was the first year Olestra products were marketed nationally after the FDA’s Food Advisory Committee confirmed a judgment it made 2 years earlier, sales were over $400 million.[5] However, by 2000 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."[6]

This condition (normally occurring only by excessive consumption in a short period of time) led to a condition known as "steatorrhea", which can be embarrassing. Sales were so slow that P&G gave up on attempts to widen the uses of Olestra, and even sold off their Cincinnati-based Olestra 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 (a particularly outspoken critic). The FDA concluded that the label statement was no longer warranted",[7] in spite of having received over 20,000 complaints.[8] When removing the Olestra warning label, the FDA cited a 6-week Procter & Gamble (makers of Olestra) study of more than 3000 people showing that an Olestra-eating group experienced only a small increase in bowel movement frequency.[7]

P&G also worked hard in its publicity campaigns to highlight the positives of the additive, even working directly with the health-care community.[9] But, outside of 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. This was because Olestra only addressed the fat component of the overall dietary pattern of Americans. Foods containing olestra do contain calories from fats and many Americans believed that they could just 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 Britain and Canada.[11][12]

Chemistry

Normal fats consist of a glycerol molecule with three fatty acid tails attached. However, Olestra is synthesized using a sucrose molecule, which can support from six to eight fatty acid chains[13] arranged radially like an octopus, and is too large to move through the intestinal wall and be absorbed. Olestra has the same taste and mouthfeel as fat, but since it does not contain glycerol and the fatty acid tails can not be removed from the sucrose molecule for digestion, it passes through the digestive system without being absorbed and adds no 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 along with Olestra products are excreted along with the undigested Olestra molecules. To counteract this loss of nutrient, products made with Olestra are fortified with oil soluble vitamins to compensate for this loss to fecal matter.[14]

In 1999, researchers discovered that 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.[15][16]

Applications

Procter and Gamble are marketing their sucrose ester products under the brand "Sefose" for use as an industrial lubricant and paint additive.[17] 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.[18] 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.[19]

Recent research by groups at University of Cincinnati School of Medicine in Ohio and the University of Western Australia indicated that 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. ^ Nestle, p. 338
  6. ^ "FDA approves fat substitute, Olestra", retrieved December 6th, 2006
  7. ^ a b "FDA Changes Labeling Requirement for Olestra". Retrieved October 12, 2007.
  8. ^ ""FDA Caves in on Olestra"". Cspinet.org. 2003-08-01. Retrieved 2009-04-15.
  9. ^ Nestle, p. 351
  10. ^ Nestle, p. 353
  11. ^ http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2000/06/23/fin_canadian_ban_adds_to.html
  12. ^ http://www.healthyandhot.com/everything_you_wanted_to_know_about_olestra.htm
  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. ^ Severe 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) Intoxication: Clinical and Laboratory Effectsretrieved December 6th, 2006
  16. ^ "Olestra Could Be Antidote to Toxins", University of Columbus Health News, 2005.
  17. ^ "Sefose". P&G Chemicals. Retrieved 2009-04-12.
  18. ^ Ballantyne, Coco (6 Apr 2009). "Olestra makes a comeback--This time in paints and lubricants, not potato chips". 60-Second Science. Scientific American. Retrieved 2009-04-12.
  19. ^ Ballantyne, Coco (13 Apr 2009). "New chemicals for eco-friendly paints and lubricants". 60-Second Science. Scientific American. Retrieved 2009-04-14.
  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.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

References

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