# whatever happened to Olestra (tm) fat-free oil? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 18, 2005, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-olestra-tm-fat-free-oil/308799 "2005-06-18T07:43:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2005, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-olestra-tm-fat-free-oil/308799/1 "2005-06-18T07:43:25Z")
a casual ( _very_ casual, --I’m lazy today!) web search turned up a million articles about olestra, but most of them could have been reduced to the same 2 sentences: 1. We are soon going to have a food revolution–eat all you want ,etc… and it won’t make you fat, 'cause this new fat/oil doesnt get absorbed. 2. There are a few reports of “minor” problems, like chronic diarhea, or malnutrition, but , hey, that’s not too important, right? So–is the stuff being used commercially these days? ---
**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2005, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-olestra-tm-fat-free-oil/308799/2 "2005-06-18T08:55:34Z")
[http://cspinet.org/new/200410251.html](http://cspinet.org/new/200410251.html) - - - It’s still out there; at the store Iwork at I know there are at least some Lay’s “light” potato chips that use it, but I don’t know of any other brands of chips or anything else that does right off. ~ ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2005, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-olestra-tm-fat-free-oil/308799/3 "2005-06-18T12:58:14Z")
“Anal Leakage” ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2005, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-olestra-tm-fat-free-oil/308799/4 "2005-06-18T12:58:51Z")
Tostitos has a new line of very low fat tortilla chips using Olestra, FWIW. ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2005, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-olestra-tm-fat-free-oil/308799/5 "2005-06-18T13:02:56Z")
Isn’t it also being marketed by a different name, now, too? ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2005, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-olestra-tm-fat-free-oil/308799/6 "2005-06-18T13:17:58Z")
I see lots of chips in the snack aisle made with the stuff. ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2005, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-olestra-tm-fat-free-oil/308799/7 "2005-06-18T13:33:03Z")
Aha! “Olean” was what I was thinking of. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2005, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-olestra-tm-fat-free-oil/308799/8 "2005-06-18T14:24:48Z")
> [@DougC](#): > > [CSPI Warns Consumers About Frito-Lay “Light” Chips with Olestra | Center for Science in the Public Interest](http://cspinet.org/new/200410251.html) > > - > - > - It’s still out there; at the store Iwork at I know there are at least some Lay’s “light” potato chips that use it, but I don’t know of any other brands of chips or anything else that does right off. > ~ I love this line from the article: > [@](#): > > “If you’re going to buy Lay’s Light, Ruffles Light, or Doritos Light, you also might want to stock up on Cottonelle, Quilted Northern, or Charmin—and plan not to stray too far from the bathroom,” CSPI executive director Michael F. Jacobson said. And this: > [@](#): > > Several victims reported embarrassing episodes of fecal incontinence in the workplace; one 19-year-old man became incontinent on a date. Poor bastards. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2005, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-olestra-tm-fat-free-oil/308799/9 "2005-06-18T14:40:00Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > I love this line from the article:And this:Poor bastards. Hey, if the stuff doesn’t work for you, don’t eat it. Extreme side-effects like that are by far the exception rather than the rule, and often the result of binging on the product in question. The stuff doesn’t bother me in the least, and enables me to occasionally eat chips that actually taste like chips, rather than cardboard. So I wasn never real happy to hear so many people demand that the product be banned because _they_ didn’t tolerate it. Just make sure the products are clearly labeled as containing Olestra, and let folks decide. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2005, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-olestra-tm-fat-free-oil/308799/10 "2005-06-18T14:42:24Z")
> [@Qadgop the Mercotan](#): > > Hey, if the stuff doesn’t work for you, don’t eat it. > > Extreme side-effects like that are by far the exception rather than the rule, and often the result of binging on the product in question. > > The stuff doesn’t bother me in the least, and enables me to occasionally eat chips that actually taste like chips, rather than cardboard. So I wasn never real happy to hear so many people demand that the product be banned because _they_ didn’t tolerate it. > > Just make sure the products are clearly labeled as containing Olestra, and let folks decide. I completely agree with you. Doesn’t mean i can’t feel sorry for the poor bastard nineteen-year-old who started leaking out his ass on a date. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2005, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-olestra-tm-fat-free-oil/308799/11 "2005-06-18T14:51:40Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > I completely agree with you. Doesn’t mean i can’t feel sorry for the poor bastard nineteen-year-old who started leaking out his ass on a date. Ok then. (I’d have answered sooner, but I had to run to the bathroom) ---
**Author:** ![Dark\_Side\_of\_the\_Floyd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bb73d2/32.png) [@Dark\_Side\_of\_the\_Floyd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dark_Side_of_the_Floyd)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2005, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-olestra-tm-fat-free-oil/308799/12 "2005-06-18T18:35:43Z")
Penis ensued. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2005, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-olestra-tm-fat-free-oil/308799/13 "2005-06-18T21:56:27Z")
I thought that part of the problem was that it performed fine at room temperature but not at body temperature. ---
**Author:** ![glilly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/48db29/32.png) [@glilly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glilly)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2005, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-olestra-tm-fat-free-oil/308799/14 "2005-06-18T22:52:52Z")
**Olestra does not cause anal leakage.** So said a report I heard on NPR a couple of years ago. According to the report as I remember it, the product testing required people to eat large quantities of Olestra potato chips every meal for several days. People did have side effects, including the infamous **anal leakage**. These side effects were not caused by Olestra, per se, but by the massive consumption of greasy potato chips. Eating the same quantity of regular potato chips also results in **anal leakage**. Nonetheless, the regulatory agency (probably the FDA) wanted that warning on the chips. The company that developed and owned Olestra (J&J ?) miscalculated and went to market with the warning instead of fighting it. They thought it would be like many other warning labels which were read and discarded. They did not predict what a boon the phrase “ **anal leakage** ” would be to professional and amateur commedians, some on this board. When released, some consumer group got a record number of complaints about the side effects, far more than the research indicated should happen. Apparently, the warnings got such air play that people were attributing every **semi-soft poo** within 6 months of contact of a chip to Olestra. I remember them saying that the regulatory agency now agreeded that the results of the test did not warrant the label. However, last time I looked there still was a warning. Again, I heard this probably a couple years ago, so take the details I’ve listed with a grain of **anal leakage**. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2005, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-olestra-tm-fat-free-oil/308799/15 "2005-06-18T23:07:56Z")
If I weren’t on the record as hating inside jokes and catch-phrases, I’d try to start one of **anal leakage** in bold. FWIW, I heard the same stuff about it being caused by lots of grease, olestra or not. ---
**Author:** ![Amp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2005, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-olestra-tm-fat-free-oil/308799/16 "2005-06-18T23:16:07Z")
I once sat down and ate a whole big bag of chips that were made with Olean just to see if I would experience the anal leakage. Never did. I was slightly disappointed. But now I know I can eat Olean products without any side affects. ---
**Author:** ![Mame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/858c86/32.png) [@Mame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mame)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2005, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-olestra-tm-fat-free-oil/308799/17 "2005-06-19T00:42:52Z")
> [@Amp](#): > > I once sat down and ate a whole big bag of chips that were made with Olean just to see if I would experience the anal leakage. Never did. I was slightly disappointed. But now I know I can eat Olean products without any side affects. I’ve just got to say: “Dude, you need a hobby” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2005, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-olestra-tm-fat-free-oil/308799/18 "2005-06-19T00:44:42Z")
> [@Amp](#): > > I was slightly disappointed. Yer a bit of an odd duck, huh? ---
**Author:** ![Sarah\_Woodruff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sarah\_Woodruff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarah_Woodruff)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2005, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-olestra-tm-fat-free-oil/308799/19 "2005-06-19T01:52:17Z")
As far as I’m aware, Olestra never made it to Australian shores - how does it work? Does it prevent you from digesting fat? Or is it actually an oil that contains no fat? By the way, **anal leakage** would make a good name for a heavy-metal band. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2005, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-olestra-tm-fat-free-oil/308799/20 "2005-06-19T01:57:21Z")
It’s a fat/oil that your body cannot digest, thus no calories. It has more or less the same flavour. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-olestra-tm-fat-free-oil/308799.md?page=2)