Lay's fat-free chips courtesy of Olestra intrigue students, but concern about side effects prevalent

Great taste and fat free?

A recent breakthrough in the snacking industry, the new Lay's WOW brand chips and Doritos, are low fat and fat free with half the calories, but more importantly, they have the taste of the original chips. The reason for the flavor retention is Olean, which is the brand name of the fat-free cooking oil, Olestra.

Olestra was approved by the FDA on Jan. 24, 1996, strictly for use in salty snacks and has been rigorously tested for the past nine years, according to the Lay's WOW chips World Wide Web site (www.wowchips.com).

"I am very much in favor of Olestra. It has been researched for 32 years, the most studied ingredient in history," she said. "As of right now it is only approved for use in salty snacks, but I am very optimistic for Olestra to be available in other foods soon."

The molecules in Olestra are that of natural cooking oil, including vegetable oil and sugar, Clark said, which accounts for the realistic taste of the "fat" that snackers are accustomed to. But the way that the oil and sugar are combined results in the formation of molecules that are too large to be digested or absorbed by the body, according to the WOW Web site, and therefore move right through one's body. The effect is no fat and fewer calories due to the reduced amount of fat.

"The fat-free chips are not the answer for nutrition, but they offer a choice to consumers," she said. "Those who eat other ample sources of fat in their diet now have the opportunity to select a snack that is fat free without tasting bland and dull," Clark said.

Fat free with a great taste is what turned some students onto the new chips.

"I was really surprised that these chips tasted so good," said Christine Milner (freshman-biobehavioral health). "They even look like regular potato chips, not like Baked Lays."

Other consumers of the WOW chips have nothing but praise for them.

"They're more flavorful and less flat than regular chips," said Katie Kiley (sophomore-public relations). "They have more kick and I prefer these new chips to regular ones."

Despite the "kick" of the chips, some consumers are concerned about side effects from Olestra oil, such as abdominal cramping and loose stools. The effects are stated on the back of the bag of chips, as a warning to consumers. The FDA concluded that Olestra may cause gastrointestinal reactions and interfere with the absorption of certain nutrients, according to the WOW Web site. But the FDA labeled these problems "medically insignificant."

Although tempted to try the mesquite barbeque WOW chips, Antoinette Dennis (sophomore-mathematics) said she was leery of the side effects.

"I wanted to try the new WOW chips until I heard of the potential side effects," she said. "Now I'm not so sure that they're worth it."

But, the side effects have not turned other students away from the chips -- they have been selling out at campus stores.

The chips have been available at stores around campus such as R.C. Proffitt's in Pollock Commons, according to Kelly Lentz (sophomore-finance), a cashier.

"We are sold out of those new WOW chips right now, so they've obviously been selling pretty well," Lentz said. "In just the past two hours, at least 10 people have come in here asking about them."