Careful Wording

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Careful Wording


So I noticed this weekend that "Wow," the Olestra brand of chips has 
reached the market (there were unending jokes about this product's name 
all weekend). Today, I clicked on the banner above the NYtimes site to 
learn more... I love the careful terminology they use here. I dare any 
of you to get a bag.


Olean brand olestra and digestive effects 
 
I've heard some people say Olean may cause "anal leakage." Is 
this true? 

No, eating Olean snacks will not cause "anal leakage." 
Olestra went through 25 years of research before being approved by the 
FDA. During this time, as with any development process, olestra was 
continually evaluated and improved. While some people did experience 
oil loss with the very early forms of olestra, it was addressed and 
corrected before FDA approval. Olestra is manufactured to a FDA 
required specification to control oil loss. 

 
I've heard that Olean causes diarrhea. Is this true? 

No. 
When people eat Olean snacks, they are no more likely to have diarrhea 
than if they did not eat the snacks. When people are sick with diarrhea, 
there may be significant water loss, irritation of the digestive tract 
and loss  of electrolytes. Olean does not cause these effects. Olean 
may soften the stool in some people, it does not make  people sick 
with diarrhea. Even in a study with people who have bowel disease and 
recurrent diarrhea, where Olean snacks were eaten for 30 consecutive 
days, Olean foods were well tolerated. 

Does Olean's information label mention diarrhea? 

No. 
Olean's information label does not mention diarrhea. Olean is a 
cooking oil that is not absorbed, so it may soften the stool in some 
people, particularly if eaten in large quantities several days in a 
row. It is this stool softening effect that is on the information 
label. This change is not harmful and is similar to what happens after 
eating many other foods, like certain fruits or high-fiber bran. 
Whether you notice this effect may depend upon the interactions you 
normally experience between changes in your diet and your bowel 
movements. Under typical snack-eating situations the majority of 
people will not notice any change. An information label provides those 
few consumers who may experience these temporary changes with the 
information to help them adjust their consumption. 

Food information labels of this type are more common than you may 
realize! 

If foods made with Olean have an information label, then why do many 
refer to it as a warning label? Is there a difference? 

There may be a misperception that foods made with Olean require a 
warning label. Olean's label is not a warning label. Rather, it is 
an information label which is intended to advise consumers of potential 
non-serious effects that some consumers may experience. In contrast, 
warning labels are required on products to ensure that consumers are 
aware of potential health hazards associated with their consumption.


Olestra Homepage

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