Getting The Fat Out

People who love the taste of fat but hate to think about what it's doing to their arteries will soon have a way to feel less guilty at dessert time. Last week the Food and Drug Administration approved the sale of a creamy fat substitute that consists of proteins from egg whites and milk. Called Simplesse and made by the NutraSweet Co., the new product will be allowed only in imitation ice cream and other frozen desserts, but it could eventually go into many more foods, including mayonnaise and sour cream. Simplesse cannot withstand heat and so will not be used in cooked items. It has less than one- third as many calories as the same weight of fat.

The new product is only the first in a series of substitutes being developed by such companies as Procter & Gamble, Frito-Lay and Best Foods. P&G is seeking approval for a heat-resistant, calorie-free, synthetic compound called olestra that can supposedly replace fat in almost any food.