Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Olestra formulation and the gastrointestinal tract

  • Review
  • Published:
Lipids

Abstract

Olestra is a mixture of compounds comprising sucrose esterified with 6–8 long-chain fatty acids. It is not hydrolyzed by pancreatic lipase and as a result is not absorbed from the small intestine. Olestra in general has physical properties similar to those of a triacylglycerol with the same fatty acid composition. Foods made with olestra are virtually identical in taste and texture to those made with typical triacylglycerols. Olestra consumption does not generate hydrolytic products in the small intestine and, therefore, does not generate some of the signals that alter motility in the gastrointestinal tract. A reduction in gastroesophageal reflux with olestra, in contrast to triacylglycerols, is consistent with a lack of effect on stomach emptying. Unlike triacylglycerols that are absorbed in the proximal small intestine, olestra is distributed throughout the small intestine during transit and passes into the colon. In the colon, olestra's effects depend on its physical properties. Liquid nondigestible lipids result in separation of oil from the fecal matrix. Olestra formulations made with specific fatty acid compositions, particularly those containing a solid sucrose polyester component including behenic acid, possess appropriate rheology to hinder separation of oil from the rest of the fecal matrix, thereby reducing gastrointestinal symptoms.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

CCK:

cholecystokinin

References

  1. Zorich, N.L., Biederman, D., Riccardi, K.A., Bishop, L.J., and Filloon, T.G. (1997) Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Consumer Rechallenge Test of Olean Salted Snacks, Regul. Toxicol. Pharmacol. 26, 200–209.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Cheskin, L.J., Miday, R., Zorich, N., Filloon, T. (1998) Gastrointestinal Symptoms Following Consumption of Olestra or Regular Triglyceride Potato Chips, JAMA 279, 150–152.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Giannella, R., Zorich, N., Riccardi, K., Filloon, T., McRorie, J. (1998) Reports of Diarrhea: When Is Stool Water Output Clinically Meaningful? Gastroenterology 114, G1520.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Federal Register, Part III, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration, 21 CFR Part 172. Food Additives Permitted for Direct Addition to Food for Human Consumption: Olestra: Final Rule, 62, 3118–3173, January 30, 1996.

  5. Mattson, F.H. and Volpenhein, R.A. (1972) Hydrolysis of Fully Esterified Alcohols Containing from One to Eight Hydroxyl Groups by the Lipolytic Enzymes of Rat Pancreatic Juice, J. Lipid Res. 13, 325–328.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Mattson, F.H., and Nolen, G.A. (1972) Absorbability by Rats of Compounds Containing from One to Eight Ester Groups, J. Nutr. 102, 1171–1176.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Mattson, F.H., and Volpenhein, R.A. (1972) Rate and Extent of Absorption of the Fatty Acids of Fully Esterified Glycerol, Erythritol, Xylitol and Sucrose as Measured in Thoracic Duct Cannulated Rats, J. Nutr. 102, 1177–1180.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Kasper, H. (1970) Faecal Fat Excretion, Diarrhea, and Subjective Complaints with Highly Dosed Oral Fat Intake, Digestion 3, 321–330.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Clark, S.B., Lawergren, B., and Martin, J.V. (1973) Regional Intestinal Absorptive Capacities for Triolein: An Alternative to Markers, Am. J. Physiol. 225, 574–585.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Fallat, R.W., Glueck, C.J., Lutmer, R., and Mattson, F.H. (1976) Short Term Study of Sucrose Polyester a Nonabsorbable Fatlike Material as a Dietary Agent for Lowering Plasma Cholesterol, Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 29, 1204–1215.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Jandacek, R.J., Compositions for Treating Hypercholesterolemia, U.S. Patent 4,005,195 (1977).

  12. Bailey, A.E. (1950) Melting and Solidification of Fats, Interscience Publishers, New York, p. 91.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Glueck, C.J., Mattson, F.H., and Jandacek, R.J. (1979) The Lowering of Plasma Cholesterol by Sucrose Polyester in Subjects Consuming Diets with 800, 300, or Less Than 50 mg of Cholesterol per Day, Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 32, 1636–1644.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Johnston, R.W., Kong-Chan, J.L., Schafermeyer, R.G., and Seiden, P., Polyol Fatty Acid Polyesters with Reduced Trans Double Bond Levels and Process for Making, U.S. Patent 5,194,281 (1993).

    Google Scholar 

  15. Bernhardt, C.A., and Taylor, H.M., Polyol Fatty Acid Polyester Compositions with Improved Taste, U.S. Patent 5,158,796 (1992).

  16. Zimmerman, S.P., and Young, J.D., Low Moisture Fat-Containing Foods Such as Potato Chips Having Less Waxiness and Improved Flavor Display, U.S. Patent 5,236,733 (1993).

  17. Elsen, J.J., Kester, J.J., Lin, P.Y.T., and Wehmeier, T.J., Nondigestible Fat Compositions Containing Relatively Small Nondigestible Solid Particles for Passive Oil Loss Control, U.S. Patent 5.422.131 (1995).

  18. Jandacek, R.J., and Letton, J.C., Compositions Containing Novel Solid, Nondigestible, Fat-like Compounds, U.S. Patent No. 4,797,300 (1989).

  19. Letton, J.C., Back, D.J., Baginski, J.R., Elsen, J.J., Guffey, T.B., Kester, J.J., and Weisgerber, D.J., Solid, Nondigestible, Fat-like Compounds and Food Compositions Containing Same, U.S. Patent No. 5,306,514 (1994).

  20. Young, J.D., Kester, J.J., Wehmeier, T.J., Fox, M.M., and Letton, J.C., Reduced Calorie Potato Chips and Other Low Moisture Fat-Containing Foods Having Less Waxiness and Improved Flavor Display, U.S. Patent 5,085,884 (1992).

  21. Official Methods and Recommended Practices of the American Oil Chemists' Society. 5th edn., AOCS Press, Champaign, 1998, Method Ce 1c-89.

  22. Official Methods and Recommended Practices of the American Oil Chemists' Society, 5th edn., AOCS Press, Champaign, 1998, Method Cd 16-81.

  23. Eastwood, M.A., Baird, J.D., Brydon, W.G., Smith, J.H., Helliwell, S., and Pritchard, J.L. (1982) Dietary Fiber and Colon Function in a Population Aged 18–80 Years, in Dietary Fiber in Health and Disease (Vahouny, G.V., and Kritchevsky, D., eds.), Plenum Press, New York, pp. 23–33.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Mewis, J. (1979) Thixotropy—a General Review, J. Non-Newtonian Fluid Mech. 6, 1–20.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Schramm, G. (1981) Introduction to Practical Viscometry, Gebruder Haake, Dieselstrasse, Germany, pp. 17–19.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Halmos, A.L., and Tiu, C.J. (1981) Liquid Foods Exhibiting Yield Stress and Shear Degradability, J. Texture Studies 12, 39–46.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Hamosh, M. (1984) Lingual Lipase, in Lipases (Borgstrom, B., and Brockman, H.L., eds.) Elsevier, New York, pp. 49–80.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Miller, K.W., Lawson, K.D., Tallmadge, D.H., Madison, B.L., Okenfuss, J.R., Hudson, P., Wilson, S., Thorstenson, J., and Vanderploeg, P. (1995) Disposition of Ingested Olestra in the Fischer 344 Rat, Fund. Appl. Toxicol. 24, 229–237.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Wood, F.E., Demark, B.R., Hollenbach, E.J., Sargent, M.C., and Triebwasser, K.C. (1991) Analysis of Liver Tissue for Olestra Following Long-Term Feeding to Rats and Monkeys, Food Chem. Toxicol. 29, 231–236.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Jandacek, R.J., and Webb, M.R. (1978) Physical Properties of Pure Sucrose Octaesters, Chem. Phys. Lipids 22, 163–167.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Cortot, A., Phillips, S.F., and Malalgelada, J.R. (1982). Parallel Gastric Emptying of Nonhydrolyzable Fat and Water After a Solid-Liquid Meal in Humans, Gastroenterology 82, 877–881.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Aggarwal, A.M., Camilleri, M., Phillips, S.F., Schlagheck, T.G., Brown, M.L., and Thomforde, G.M. (1993) Olestra, a Nondigestible, Nonabsorbable Fat: Effects on Gastrointestinal and Colonic Transit, Dig. Dis. Sci. 38, 1009–1014.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Just, R., Katz, L., Verhille, M., Schlagheck, T., and Castell, D. (1993) A Comparison of the Effect of Olestra and Triglyceride on Postprandial Esophageal Acid Exposure, Am. J. Gastroenterol. 88, 1734–1737.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Maas, M.I.M., Hopman, W.P.M., van der Wijk, T., Katan, M.B., and Jansen, J.B.M.J. (1997) Sucrose Polyester Does Not Inhibit Gastric Acid Secretion or Stimulate Cholecystokinin Release in Men, Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 65, 761–765.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Liao, T.H., Hamosh, P., and Hamosh, M. (1984) Fat Digestion by Lingual Lipase: Mechanism of Lipolysis in the Stomach and Upper Small Intestine, Ped. Res. 18, 402–409.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Hofmann, A.F., and Borgstrom, B. (1962) Physico-chemical State of Lipids in Intestinal Content During Their Digestion and Absorption, Fed. Proc. 21, 43–50.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Mattson, F.H., Jandacek, R.J., and Webb, M.R. (1976) The Effect of a Nonabsorbable Lipid, Sucrose Polyester, on the Absorption of Cholesterol by the Rat, J. Nutr. 106, 747–752.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Forman, L.P., and Schneeman, B.O. (1980) Effects of Dietary Pectin and Fat on the Small Intestinal Contents and Exocrine Pancreas of the Rat, J. Nutr. 110, 1992–1999.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Hager, M.H., and Schneeman, B.O. (1986) Pancreatic Enzyme and Plasma Cholesterol Response to Chronic Ingestion of a Nonabsorbable Lipid in Rats, J. Nutr. 116, 2372–2377.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Potter, G.D. (1998) Bile Acid Diarrhea, Dig. Dis. 16, 118–124.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Glueck, C.J., Jandacek, R.J., Subbiah, M.T.R., Gallon, L., Yunker, R., Allen, C., Hogg, E., and Laskarzewski, P.M. (1980) Effect of Sucrose Polyester on Fecal Bile Acid Excretion and Composition in Normal Men, Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 33, 2177–2181.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Crouse, J.R., and Grundy, S.M. (1979) Effects of Sucrose Polyester on Cholesterol Metabolism in Man, Metabolism 28, 994–1000.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Jandacek, R.J. (1982) The Effect of Nonabsorbable Lipids on the Intestinal Absorption of Lipophiles, Drug Met. Rev. 13, 695–714.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Cooper, D.A., Berry, D.A., Spendel, V.A., King, D., Kiorpes, A.L., and Peters, J.C. (1997) Olestra Dose Response on Fat-Soluble and Water-Soluble Nutrients in the Pig, J. Nutr. 127, 1573S-1588S.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Daher, G.C., Cooper, D.A., Zorich, N.L., King, D., Riccardi, K.A., and Peters, J.C. (1997) Olestra Ingestion and Dietary Fat Absorption in Humans, J. Nutr. 127, 1694S-1698S.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Cooper, D.A., Webb, D.R., and Peters, J.C. (1997) Evaluation of the Potential for Olestra to Affect the Availability of Dietary Phytochemicals, J. Nutr. 127, 1699S-1709S.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. Khouri, M.R., Ng, S.N., Huang, G., and Shiau, Y.F. (1989) Fecal Triglyceride Excretion Is Not Excessive in Pancreatic Insufficiency, Gastroenterology 96, 848–852.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. Ramakrishna, B.S., Mathan, M., and Mathan, V.I. (1994) Alteration of Colonic Absorption by Long-Chain Unsaturated Fatty Acids. Influence of Hydroxylation and Degree of Unsaturation, Scand. J. Gastroenterol. 29, 54–58.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Siigur, U., Norin, K.E., Allgood, G., Schlagheck, T., and Midtvedt, T. (1996) Effect of Olestra on Faecal Water and Short-Chain Fatty Acids, Microb. Ecol. Health Dis. 9, 9–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  50. Webb, D.R., Harrison, G.G., Lee, M., and Huang, M. (1997) Estimated Consumption and Eating Frequency of Olestra from Savory Snacks Using Menu Census Data, J. Nutr. 127, 1547S-1554S.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  51. Zorich, N.L., Carter, S.B., McEdwards, J.M., and Bayless, T.M. (1994) Safety of Olestra in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Gastroenterology 106, A796.

    Google Scholar 

  52. Daher, G.C., Lawson, K.D., Long, P.H., Tallmadge, D.H., Boothe, A.D., Vanderploeg, P., and Miller, K.W. (1997) Comparison of Olestra Absorption in Guinea Pigs with Normal and Compromised Gastrointestinal Tracts, Fund. Appl. Toxicol. 39, 138–147.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  53. Nuck, B.A., Schlagheck, T.G., and Federle, T.W. (1994) Inability of the Human Fecal Microflora to Metabolize the Nonabsorbable Fat Substitute, Olestra, J. Ind. Microbiol. 13, 328–334.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  54. Jandacek, R.J., Mattson, F.H., McNeely, S., Gallon, L., Yunker, R., and Glueck, C.J. (1980) Effect of Sucrose Polyester on Fecal Steroid Excretion by 24 Normal Men, Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 33, 251–259.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  55. Siigur, U., Norin, K.E., Allgood, G., Schlagheck, T., and Midtvedt, T. (1996) Effect of Olestra upon Intestinal Microecology as Reflected by Five Microflora Associated Characteristics in Man, Microbiol. Ecol. Health Dis. 9, 295–303.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  56. Eastwood, M.A., and Allgood, G.S. (1995) The Effect of Olestra on Breath Gas Production and Fecal Microbial Counts, Eur. J. Clin. Nutr. 49, 627–639.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  57. Wood, F.E., Tierney, W.J., Knezevich, A.L., Bolte, H.F., Maurer, J.K., and Bruce, R.D. (1991) Chronic Toxicity and Carcinogenicity Studies of Olestra in Fischer 344 Rats, Food Chem. Toxicol. 29, 223–230.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  58. Thornquist, M.D., Patterson, R.E., and Kristal, A.R. (1998) The Olestra Post-Marketing Surveillance Study: Findings from the First Year of Surveillance at the Sentinel Site, Indianapolis, IN 1996–1998. Presentation to U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 1998, pp. 1–188.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Miami Valley Laboratories, Procter & Gamble, P.O. Box 538707, 45253-8707, Cincinnati, OH

    Ronald J. Jandacek, Jeffrey J. Kester, A. J. Papa, Thomas J. Wehmeier & Peter Y. T. Lin

Authors
  1. Ronald J. Jandacek
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jeffrey J. Kester
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. A. J. Papa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Thomas J. Wehmeier
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Peter Y. T. Lin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ronald J. Jandacek.

About this article

Cite this article

Jandacek, R.J., Kester, J.J., Papa, A.J. et al. Olestra formulation and the gastrointestinal tract. Lipids 34, 771–783 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-999-0423-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-999-0423-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation